name Uncommon

Torah

TAW-ruh

Torah (name) means the five books traditionally attributed to Moses at the start of the Hebrew Bible — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Example: “The rabbi read from the Torah during the Saturday service.”

name

The five books traditionally attributed to Moses at the start of the Hebrew Bible — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

"The rabbi read from the Torah during the Saturday service."

More broadly, the whole body of Jewish religious law and teaching, written and oral.

"Students spend years studying the Torah and its many commentaries."

noun

A handwritten scroll containing these five books, used in synagogue worship.

"The synagogue keeps its Torah scroll in an ornately carved cabinet called the ark."

How to use Torah

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe core sacred text of Judaism — both the physical scroll and, more broadly, Jewish law and teaching as a whole.

Common pairings

read the Torah a Torah scroll study the Torah

Word forms

Torahs plural, Torot plural, Toroth plural

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The rabbi read from the _____ during the Saturday service.

Etymology

From Hebrew tōrā, meaning "instruction," "teaching," or "law."

Origin: Hebrew

Rhymes for Torah

Norah menorah Deborah

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Frequently asked questions

What does “Torah” mean?

The word “Torah” means the five books traditionally attributed to Moses at the start of the Hebrew Bible — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. In plain terms, the core sacred text of Judaism — both the physical scroll and, more broadly, Jewish law and teaching as a whole.

How do you pronounce “Torah”?

“Torah” is pronounced TAW-ruh (/ˈtɔːɹə/ in IPA).

How do you use “Torah” in a sentence?

Here is “Torah” used in a sentence: “The rabbi read from the Torah during the Saturday service.”

What part of speech is “Torah”?

Depending on how it is used, “Torah” can be a name and a noun.

Where does the word “Torah” come from?

The word “Torah” comes from Hebrew. From Hebrew tōrā, meaning "instruction," "teaching," or "law.".

Is “Torah” a common word?

“Torah” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “Torah” have?

“Torah” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the five books traditionally attributed to Moses at the start of the Hebrew Bible — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

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Vocabulary lists that include Torah:

Words with hebrew origins Words that end with H