noun
Common
Jesse
JEHS-ee
Jesse (noun) means a decorative artwork, often a stained-glass window or branching candlestick, showing the family tree leading to Christ. Example: “The cathedral's west window is a magnificent Jesse tree in stained glass.”
noun
1
A decorative artwork, often a stained-glass window or branching candlestick, showing the family tree leading to Christ.
"The cathedral's west window is a magnificent Jesse tree in stained glass."
How to use Jesse
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn artistic family-tree design, usually in church art, tracing Christ's ancestry back to Jesse, father of King David.
When to use it
A specialist term found mainly in art history and church architecture.
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Word forms
- Plural
- Jesses
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The cathedral's west window is a magnificent _____ tree in stained glass.
Etymology
Comes from Ancient Greek Ἰεσσαί (Iessaí), from Hebrew יִשַׁי (Yishai).
Synonyms
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jesse tree
tree of jesse
Rhymes for Jesse
See all rhymes for Jesse →Frequently asked questions
What does “Jesse” mean?
The word “Jesse” means a decorative artwork, often a stained-glass window or branching candlestick, showing the family tree leading to Christ. In plain terms, an artistic family-tree design, usually in church art, tracing Christ's ancestry back to Jesse, father of King David.
How do you pronounce “Jesse”?
“Jesse” is pronounced JEHS-ee (/ˈd͡ʒɛs.i/ in IPA).
How do you use “Jesse” in a sentence?
Here is “Jesse” used in a sentence: “The cathedral's west window is a magnificent Jesse tree in stained glass.”
What part of speech is “Jesse”?
“Jesse” is a noun.
Is “Jesse” a common word?
“Jesse” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is a Jesse window?
A Jesse window is a stained-glass window that depicts a jesse: the family tree leading to Christ, usually shown as a branching tree. It is a traditional subject for church glass and one of the most common forms a jesse takes.
What is the difference between a jesse and a Jesse tree?
A Jesse tree is the motif itself, the genealogy of Christ pictured as a tree. A jesse is an artwork that presents this motif, most often a stained-glass window or a branching candlestick.
Why is the artwork called a jesse?
It is named after Jesse, the biblical father of King David, who stands at the root of the family tree leading to Christ. The design traditionally shows the tree rising from the figure of Jesse, with Christ's ancestors arranged along its branches.
What forms can a jesse take besides a stained-glass window?
Besides stained glass, a jesse can be a branching candlestick, and the same family-tree design appears in other kinds of church decoration. Whatever the medium, the defining feature is the depicted line of descent leading to Christ.
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