Ashkenazi

Borrowed from Hebrew אַשְׁכְּנַזִּי ('ashk'nazí), from Biblical Hebrew אַשְׁכְּנַז (ʾaškənaz). The biblical Ashkenaz was the son of Gomer, the grandson of Japheth, and the great-grandson of Noah. Ashkenaz's descendants were identified with the Germans by medieval Jewish tradition. Ashkenaz was also the name used for the Rhine river, which was the starting point of central and eastern European settlement by Jews, who are thought to have arrived in the region from Italy, and then spread east as they fled violent oppression and followed more favorable ownership laws.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌæʃkɪˈnɑːzi/, /ˌæʃkɪnəˈziː/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌɑːʃkɪˈnɑːzi/, /ˌɑːʃkɪnəˈziː/

• Audio (US):

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• Hyphenation: Ash‧ke‧na‧zi

Ashkenazi (comparative more Ashkenazi, superlative most Ashkenazi)

1. Of or relating to Jews of Central European, particularly of German and Polish origin, and their traditions, customs, and rituals.

   Synonym: Ashkenazic

   Hypernym: Jewish

   Hyponym: Ashkephardi

Ashkenazi (plural Ashkenazim or Ashkenazis or Ashkenazi)

1. An Ashkenazi Jew.

   Hypernym: Jew

   Hyponym: Ashkephardi

Ashkenazi (plural Ashkenazis)

1. A surname from Hebrew.

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Ashkenazi is the 40204^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 545 individuals.

• Hanks, Patrick, editor (2003), “Ashkenazi”, in Dictionary of American Family Names, volume 1, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 63.