Sephardi

noun

Se·​phar·​di sə-ˈfär-dē How to pronounce Sephardi (audio)
plural Sephardim sə-ˈfär-dəm How to pronounce Sephardi (audio)
: a member of the occidental branch of European Jews settling in Spain and Portugal and later in the Balkans, the Levant, England, the Netherlands, and the Americas
also : one of their descendants compare ashkenazi
Sephardic
sə-ˈfär-dik How to pronounce Sephardi (audio)
adjective

Examples of Sephardi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Two Jewish names inscribed in Arabic on the device—Ishaq and Yunus, or Isaac and Jonah—suggest the astrolabe once circulated within a Sephardi community in Spain. — Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024 The names could be the Jewish names Isaac and Jonah written in Arabic, which Gigante said suggests the tool was used in a Sephardi Jewish community in Spain, where Arabic was spoken. — Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Late Hebrew sĕphāradhī, from sĕphāradh Spain, from Hebrew, region where Jews were once exiled (Obadiah 1:20)

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Sephardi was in 1851

Rhymes for Sephardi

See All Rhymes for Sephardi

Browse Nearby Words

Sephardi
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sephardi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Sephardi. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on Sephardi

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Sephardi

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Superb Owl Words

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

9 Superb Owl Words

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
girl-pencil-test
Challenging Standardized Test Words Quiz Vol. 3 You’re on your own for the math section.
See All