Mishna

/ ˈmɪʃnə; miʃˈna; mɪʃˈneɪɪk /

noun

1. Judaism a compilation of precepts passed down as an oral tradition and collected by Judah ha-Nasi in the late second century ad. It forms the earlier part of the Talmud See also Gemara

Derived Forms

• Mishnaic, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Mishna¹

C17: from Hebrew: instruction by repetition, from shānāh to repeat

Example Sentences

Or, as the Mishna would have it, “the creations were all made in generic form, and they gradually expanded.”

From Salon

The holiday, which is not recorded in the Hebrew Bible, is noted in other ancient sources, including the Mishna, a record of Jewish oral traditions.

From Washington Times

The film, written by Mishna Wolff and based very loosely on the video game of the same name, unfolds in the northeastern hamlet of Beaverfield, home to scores of maple trees and nine cartoonish citizens.

From New York Times

As the group argues: The male Rabbis writing the Mishna, a third-century book of Jewish commentary, recognized several gender categories, so modern-day Hebrew speakers surely can, too.

From Washington Post

One critic of Cohn pointed me to the Mishna, the ancient Jewish commentary in which the sage Hillel says, “In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man.”

From Washington Post