judaism

IPA/ˈdʒuːdeɪɪzəm/
KK[dʒˈudeˌɪzəm]IPA/ˈdʒuːdiɪzəm/

judaism — noun

1. a major world religion centred on the belief that only one God exists, with teac

1.nounB1
Definition

a major world religion centred on the belief that only one God exists, with teachings and laws recorded in the Torah, the Talmud, and other sacred writings of the Jewish tradition.

Example

The Greenberg family practices Judaism and celebrates Shabbat every Friday evening.

practice Judaism / celebrate Shabbat — religious collocations

In her world religions class, Zuri wrote a report about the history of Judaism.

uncountable noun with the history of [religion]

Common collocations
  • practice Judaism
  • follow Judaism
  • convert to Judaism
  • the history of Judaism
  • Judaism teaches that...
  • according to Judaism
  • within Judaism
  • a branch of Judaism
Synonyms
  • the Jewish faith

    more personal and devotional in tone; used when emphasising belief rather than the institutional religion

  • the Jewish religion

    more formal and descriptive; useful when comparing different religions in an academic context

Grammar Patterns

Judaism + singular verb (teaches, requires, prohibits)

practice/convert to/follow + Judaism

Usage Note

Always capitalised because it is the name of a religion. Frequently used with the verbs 'practice', 'follow', 'convert to', or 'study'. Judaism is an uncountable noun — you cannot say 'a Judaism' or 'two Judaisms'.

Common Mistakes

I am a Judaism.
I am Jewish.
Judaism is the religion itself, not an adjective describing a person.
I believe in Judaism.
I practice Judaism.' or 'I follow Judaism.
'believe in' is used for God, not for the religion as a system.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three terms refer to the same religion, but with different tones. 'Judaism' is the standard, neutral name used in academic, journalistic, and everyday contexts — it is the word you will see in textbooks, news articles, and encyclopedias. 'The Jewish faith' emphasises the personal, spiritual side of the religion and is more common in interfaith discussions or devotional writing. 'The Jewish religion' is a slightly more formal, descriptive label often used when comparing religions in a scholarly or institutional context ('the Jewish religion, along with Christianity and Islam'). In everyday conversation, 'Judaism' is by far the most natural choice. For example, you would say 'She is studying Judaism at university' rather than 'She is studying the Jewish faith at university', though the latter would not be wrong.

Judaism ↗the Jewish faiththe Jewish religion

Common collocations

Nouns

  • follower of Judaism
  • history of Judaism
  • branch of Judaism
  • teaching of Judaism

Phrases

  • practice Judaism
  • convert to Judaism
  • follow Judaism
  • according to Judaism

Prepositions

  • in Judaism
  • of Judaism
  • to Judaism
  • within Judaism

Etymology

HebrewGreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The English word Judaism comes through Latin (Iudaismus) and Greek (Ioudaismos) from the Hebrew name Yehudah (Judah), who was one of the twelve sons of Jacob in the Hebrew Bible. The kingdom of Judah and its people became the centre of Jewish life after the northern tribes were lost, so the name Judah came to stand for the whole people and their religion. The word originally meant 'the way of the Judeans' and later grew to describe the full system of beliefs and practices of the Jewish people.