benjamin

[ ben-juh-muhn ]

Origin of benjamin

1
1570–80; alteration (by association with the proper name) of benjoin, early form of benzoin1

Words Nearby benjamin

Other definitions for Benjamin (2 of 2)

Benjamin
[ ben-juh-muhn ]

noun
  1. the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel, and the brother of Joseph. Genesis 35:18.

  2. one of the 12 tribes of ancient Israel traditionally descended from him.

  1. Asher, 1773–1845, U.S. architect and writer.

  2. Judah Philip, 1811–84, Confederate statesman.

  3. a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “son of the right.”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use benjamin in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for benjamin (1 of 3)

benjamin

/ (ˈbɛndʒəmɪn) /


noun
  1. another name for benzoin (def. 1)

  2. benjamin bush another name for spicebush

Origin of benjamin

1
C16: variant of benzoin; influenced in form by the name Benjamin

British Dictionary definitions for Benjamin (2 of 3)

Benjamin1

/ (ˈbɛndʒəmɪn) /


noun
  1. Old Testament

    • the youngest and best-loved son of Jacob and Rachel (Genesis 35:16–18; 42:4)

    • the tribe descended from this patriarch

    • the territory of this tribe, northwest of the Dead Sea

  2. archaic a youngest and favourite son

British Dictionary definitions for Benjamin (3 of 3)

Benjamin2

/ (ˈbɛndʒəmɪn) /


noun
  1. Arthur . 1893–1960, Australian composer. In addition to Jamaican Rumba (1938), he wrote five operas and a harmonica concerto (1953)

  2. (German ˈbɛnɪamin) Walter (ˈvaltər). 1892–1940, German critic and cultural theorist

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012