Ashkenazi

[ ahsh-kuh-nah-zee ]

noun

, plural Ash·ke·naz·im [ahsh-k, uh, -, nah, -zim].

1. a member of the diasporic Jewish population that settled in central and eastern Europe, distinguished from the Sephardim chiefly by liturgy, religious customs, and pronunciation of Hebrew:

   For the benefit of Ashkenazim using the book, variations are included where they are significantly different.

adjective

1. Also Ash·ke·naz·ic []. of or relating to the diasporic Jewish population that settled in central and eastern Europe, or to the culture, liturgy, or variety of Hebrew used by these Jews:

   The melody is an adaptation of a South German chant sung in Ashkenazi synagogues during High Holy Days.

   Ashkenazi styles of cooking have influenced many other cuisines.

Ashkenazi

/ ˌæʃkəˈnɑːzɪ /

noun

1. modifier of or relating to the Jews of Germany and E Europe
2. a Jew of German or E European descent
3. the pronunciation of Hebrew used by these Jews

Word History and Origins

Origin of Ashkenazi¹

First recorded in 1830–40; from post-Biblical Hebrew ashkənazzīm, plural of ashkənazzī, equivalent to ashkənaz + -ī a suffix indicating relationship or origin; Ashkenaz

Word History and Origins

Origin of Ashkenazi¹

C19: Late Hebrew, from Hebrew Ashkenaz, the son of Gomer (Genesis 10:3; I Chronicles 1:6), a descendant of Noah through Japheth, and hence taken to be identified with the ancient Ascanians of Phrygia and, in the medieval period, the Germans

Example Sentences

USC’s Jewish community is hardly a monolith, including Jews who are Persian, Israeli, Latino and Ashkenazi, who have more European roots.

From Los Angeles Times

From this perspective, sauerkraut is a particular ecosystem shaped by German food traditions, kosher dill pickles by Ashkenazi Jewish traditions, and pao cai by southwestern Chinese traditions.

From Salon

A political action committee representing Asians and Pacific Islanders emailed the media slamming Kennedy’s speculation last year that the COVID-19 virus appeared to be “ethnically targeted,” sparing Chinese and Ashkenazi Jews.

From Los Angeles Times

But the test he took showed that he had a mix of Ukrainian, Ashkenazi Jewish and Polish ancestry.

From BBC

Of that total, more than a million Ashkenazi Jewish profiles have also now been curated into a list by attackers.

From Salon