Ezra

American  

[ez-ruh] / ˈɛz rə /

noun

1. a Jewish scribe and prophet of the 5th century b.c., who with Nehemiah led the revival of Judaism in Palestine.

2. a book of the Bible bearing his name. Ezr.

3. a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “help.”

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Ezra British  

/ ˈɛzrə /

noun

1. a Jewish priest of the 5th century _bc , who was sent from Babylon by the Persian king Artaxerxes I to reconstitute observance of the Jewish law and worship in Jerusalem after the captivity

2. the book recounting his efforts to perform this task

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Etymology

Origin of Ezra

From Late Latin Ezras, ulimately from Hebrew ʿezrā “help”

Example Sentences

The arrest of pastor Ezra Jin has drawn criticism from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and members of Congress.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Nearly 20 people associated with Zion Church, a large, long-running Protestant congregation in the Chinese capital, were arrested in October, including founder Ezra Jin, part of one China’s largest crackdowns on Christians in years.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

Kial Garth Robinson, 29, of Littlehampton, was sentenced to 11 years in prison, while Piran Ezra Wilkinson, 48, from Chichester, was jailed for nine years.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

“We can summon artists’ spirits through gatherings,” says Jay Ezra Nayssan, founding director and chief curator of Del Vaz Projects, which is also Nayssan’s home.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

“Like singing or writing. Do you paint or anything like that? My Micah is a beautiful painter and Ezra is learning piano.”

From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley