cohen

IPA/kˈəʊən/
KK[kˈoən]IPA/kˈoʊən/

cohen — noun

1. A common family name, especially of Jewish people around the world. Many people

1.nounB1
Definition

A common family name, especially of Jewish people around the world. Many people with this surname are not descendants of the priestly family.

Example

Leonard Cohen was a Canadian singer and poet known for his song 'Hallelujah.'

famous bearer of the surname

At medical conferences, Dr. Yael Cohen's colleagues ask about her surname's Hebrew origin.

surname origin as conversation topic

Grammar Patterns

[first name] + Cohen

2. In Judaism, a man who is a male descendant of Aaron, the brother of Moses, and w

2.nounC1
Definition

In Judaism, a man who is a male descendant of Aaron, the brother of Moses, and who has the hereditary right to perform certain religious ceremonies, such as blessing the congregation and reading from the Torah.

Example

The cohen raised both hands to bless the congregation during the festival.

cohen + raise hands + bless congregation

In many synagogues, a cohen is called first to read from the Torah scroll.

first called to read Torah

Common collocations
  • the cohen blesses
  • cohen + congregation
  • a cohen reads
  • cohen + synagogue
  • a cohen + Torah
Synonyms
  • kohen

    Alternate transliteration of the same Hebrew word; used interchangeably in English contexts.

  • priest

    More general term; 'cohen' specifies a Jewish priest of Aaronic descent, while 'priest' can refer to any religion's clergy.

Grammar Patterns

the cohen

a cohen

Usage Note

Status as a cohen is inherited through the male line, not earned through study or ordination. This distinguishes a cohen from a rabbi, who is a teacher and spiritual leader regardless of family background.

Common Mistakes

He became a cohen after studying at the rabbinical school.
He is a cohen by birth because his father was a cohen.
A cohen's status comes from patrilineal descent from Aaron, not from training or ordination.
All rabbis are cohens.
Some rabbis are cohens, but many are not.
Being a rabbi and being a cohen are separate statuses; a person can be one, both, or neither.

Word family

  • kohen
    nounC1
  • cohenite
    noun

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

A cohen (also spelled kohen) is a Jewish priest who holds his status through patrilineal descent from Aaron, the first high priest. This sets it apart from 'priest,' which in English can describe clergy of any religion and implies a role obtained through training or appointment. Within Judaism, a 'rabbi' is a teacher and spiritual leader ordained through study, not lineage — a rabbi may also be a cohen if born into the right family, but the two roles are independent. The alternate spelling 'kohen' follows modern academic transliteration; both forms appear in English writing about Jewish tradition. For example: 'Rabbi David is a cohen, so he both teaches Torah and performs the priestly blessing, whereas Rabbi Sarah is not a cohen and leads worship without that ceremony.'

cohen ↗kohenpriest ↗rabbi ↗

Etymology

HebrewGreekLatinEnglish

From Hebrew כֹּהֵן (kohen, meaning 'priest'). The surname Cohen — one of the most common Jewish surnames worldwide — began as a family name identifying descendants of the ancient priestly class. The spelling with 'c' comes through Latin and Greek transliterations.