midrash

noun

mid·​rash ˈmi-ˌdräsh How to pronounce midrash (audio)
plural midrashim mi-ˈdrä-shəm How to pronounce midrash (audio)
1
: a haggadic or halachic exposition of the underlying significance of a Bible text
2
: a collection of midrashim
3
capitalized : the midrashic literature written during the first Christian millennium
midrashic
mi-ˈdrä-shik How to pronounce midrash (audio)
adjective often capitalized

Examples of midrash 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 rabbis from the country’s large Progressive community disagreed with the remarks by Rabbi Meir Villegas Henriquez, an Orthodox rabbi and mohel from Rotterdam’s Ohel Abraham beit midrash (Jewish study center). — Canaan Lidor, Sun Sentinel, 14 Nov. 2024 Each book uses a traditional storytelling structure — lyrics, midrash, folk tales — while pushing at the edges of what a form can contain, cramming it with modern human concerns, triumphs and tragedies. — Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

Hebrew midhrāsh exposition, explanation

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of midrash was in 1613

Browse Nearby Words

midrange trajectory
midrash
midrib
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Cite this Entry

“Midrash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/midrash. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about midrash

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