Nazirite

noun

Naz·​i·​rite ˈna-zə-ˌrīt How to pronounce Nazirite (audio)
variants or Nazarite
: a Jew of biblical times consecrated to God by a vow to avoid drinking wine, cutting the hair, and being defiled by the presence of a corpse
Naziritism noun

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin nazaraeus, from Greek naziraios, nazaraios, from Hebrew nāzīr, literally, consecrated

First Known Use

1560, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Nazirite was in 1560

Dictionary Entries Near Nazirite

Cite this Entry

“Nazirite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Nazirite. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Nazirite

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!