bat mitzvah

or bath mitz·vah, bas mitz·vah

[ baht mits-vuh, bahs; Sephardic Hebrew baht meets-vah; Ashkenazic Hebrew bahs mits-vuh ]

noun

, (often initial capital letters)

1. a solemn ceremony, chiefly among Reform and Conservative Jews, that is held in the synagogue on Friday night or Saturday morning to admit formally as an adult member of the Jewish community a girl 12 to 13 years old.
2. the girl participating in this ceremony.

verb (used with object)

1. to administer the ceremony of bat mitzvah to.

Bat Mitzvah

/ bɑːt ˈmɪtsvə /

adjective

1. (of a Jewish girl) having attained religious majority at the age of twelve

noun

1. the date of, or, in some congregations, a ceremony marking, this event
2. the girl herself on that day

bat mitzvah

1. An important ceremony and social event in Judaism marking the beginning of religious responsibility for Jewish girls; it is the less frequently observed counterpart of the bar mitzvah . Bat mitzvah is Hebrew for “daughter of the commandment.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of bat mitzvah¹

From Hebrew bath miṣwāh literally, “daughter of the divine law”

Word History and Origins

Origin of bat mitzvah¹

from Hebrew, literally: daughter of the commandment

Example Sentences

In the northern Seattle suburbs, photographers Jennifer and Scott Matsuda started out shooting weddings but have built a thriving business photographing corporate events and bar and bat mitzvahs.

From Washington Post

Tepper, who made his fortune trading distressed debt and once hired Ashlee Simpson to play his daughter’s bat mitzvah, is now the league’s richest owner.

From ProPublica

If you are Jewish, this will be a more important day than your bar or bat mitzvah.

From Washington Post

Women, say, may organize a bat mitzvah there, and even wear a tallis (though tfilin are still up in the air, I believe).

From The Daily Beast

Was trying to buy something worthy of a Bat Mitzvah invite for my daughter at a top-of-the-line country club.

From The Daily Beast