hasidic

IPA/hæˈsɪdɪk/
KK[həsˈɪdɪk]IPA/hɑːˈsɪdɪk/

hasidic — adjective

  • hasidicpositive
  • more hasidiccomparative
  • most hasidicsuperlative

1. of or concerning the branch of Judaism whose followers keep traditional religiou

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

of or concerning the branch of Judaism whose followers keep traditional religious laws and customs strictly, with communities guided by a rebbe (a spiritual teacher)

Example

The Hasidic community in Brooklyn celebrated the holiday with music and dancing.

attributive use: hasidic + community

Renata read a book about the history of the Hasidic movement in Eastern Europe.

Common collocations
  • Hasidic community
  • Hasidic movement
  • Hasidic family
  • Hasidic synagogue
  • Hasidic traditions
  • Hasidic rebbe
Synonyms
  • ultra-Orthodox

    a broader term that includes Hasidic Jews as well as other strictly observant Jewish groups; sometimes considered imprecise

  • observant

    describes someone who follows religious rules; much wider in meaning and not specific to any one faith

Grammar Patterns

hasidic + noun

be + hasidic

Usage Note

Hasidic is usually capitalized in written English because it derives from the proper noun Hasidism (or Hasid). The alternative spelling Hassidic (with double s) also appears occasionally.

Common Mistakes

The Orthodox community in Williamsburg has its own school.' (when referring specifically to the Hasidic group)
The Hasidic community in Williamsburg has its own school.
Orthodox is a broad category that includes many groups; Hasidic refers to a specific traditional movement within Orthodox Judaism.

Word family

  • Hasidism
    nounC1
  • Hasid
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Hasidic refers specifically to the Hasidic movement, a branch of Orthodox Judaism that began in 18th-century Eastern Europe and emphasizes joyful worship, close-knit communities, and the authority of a rebbe. Orthodox is the broadest category, covering all Jews who follow traditional Jewish law (Halakha). Ultra-Orthodox (or Haredi) is a wider term that includes Hasidic groups as well as other non-Hasidic Haredi communities such as Litvak or Sephardic Haredi Jews. Observant is the most general term and simply means someone who follows the rules of their religion; it can apply to observant Muslims, Christians, or members of any faith. For example, a writer might describe 'an observant Jewish family' to mean they keep kosher and observe Shabbat, without specifying whether they are Hasidic, Orthodox, or Conservative.

Hasidic ↗Orthodox ↗ultra-Orthodox ↗observant ↗

Etymology

HebrewEnglish

Hasidic comes from the Hebrew word hasid (חָסִיד), meaning 'pious' or 'devout', combined with the English adjective suffix -ic. The Hasidic movement was founded in the early 1700s by Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer (the Baal Shem Tov) in what is now western Ukraine.