Habiru

[ hah-bee-roo, hah-bee-roo ]

noun

, (used with a plural verb)

1. a nomadic people mentioned in Assyro-Babylonian literature: possibly the early Hebrews.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Habiru¹

From the Akkadian word khāpiru

Example Sentences

There is a tribe called the "Habiru" mentioned in ancient cuneiform texts who apparently did battle in Canaan.

From BBC

The word Hebrew, for example, is believed to have been derived from the ancient Egyptian Habiru, a derisive name for a group that often made its living as itinerant tinkers and peddlers.

From Time Magazine Archive