Abraham

From Middle English Abraham, from Old English Abraham, from Late Latin Ābrahām, from Ancient Greek Ἀβρᾱᾱ́μ (Abrāā́m), from Hebrew אַבְרָהָם ('aḇrāhām, “Abraham”). Thomas L. Thompson suggests that the meaning of the name in Genesis was forgotten due to its age and that its original meaning was "Father is exalted."^[1] Glossed as אַב (aḇ, “father of”) + הֲמוֹן (hăˈmōn, “multitude of”) in Genesis 17:4–5; or from Hebrew אַבְרָם ('aḇrām, “Abram”). Doublet of Ibrahim and Avraham.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈeɪ.bɹə.hæm/, /ˈeɪ.bɹə.həm/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈeɪ.bɹəˌhæm/, /ˈeɪ.bɹə.həm/
• (poetic) IPA^(key): /ˈeɪ.bɹæm/ (compare Abram)

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: A‧bra‧ham

Abraham (plural Abrahams)

2. (Abrahamism) A prophet in the Old Testament, Qur'an and Aqdas; a Semitic patriarch son of Terah who practiced monotheism, father of the Jewish patriarch Isaac by Sarah and the Arab patriarch Ishmael by Hagar. [first attested prior to 1150]^[2]

   Synonyms: Abram, Ibrahim

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 17:5, column 2:

     Neither ſhall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name ſhall bee Abraham: for a father of many nations haue I made thee.

   • 1980, Werner Keller, chapter 7, in William Neil, transl., The Bible as History, page 93:

     As one would expect of caravan people around 1900 B.C., the caravan people depicted in the Khnum-hotpe grave had donkeys, whereas the Bible says that Abraham and his people, who according to the traditional interpretation are supposed to have lived at the same period, already possessed camels.

3. A male given name from Hebrew. [first attested prior to 1150]^[2]
   • 1961, Kurt Vonnegut, Mother Night, Dell, published 1975, page 28:

     "Lincoln wasn't a Jew, was he?" he said. "I'm sure not," I said. […] "The name Abraham is very suspicious, to say the least," said Goebbels. "I'm sure his parents didn't realize that it was a Jewish name," I said. "They must have just liked the sound of it. They were simple frontier people. If they'd known the name was Jewish, I'm sure they would have called him something more American, like George or Stanley or Fred."

4. A surname originating as a patronymic. [first attested prior to 1150]^[2]
5. The 14th sura (chapter) of the Qur'an.

• (pet forms): Abe, Abey, Abie
• (male given names): Abram, Bram, Avram
• (surnames): Abrahams

Abraham (plural Abrahams)

1. (archaic, British slang, chiefly London) A shop selling cheap and low-quality clothes, especially in the East End of London.^[3][4]

   Synonym: slopshop

Learned borrowing from Late Latin Ābrahām, from Ancient Greek Ἀβρᾱᾱ́μ (Abrāā́m), from Hebrew אַבְרָהָם ('aḇrāhām, “Abraham”).

• IPA^(key): (Central) [ə.βɾəˈam]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [ə.bɾəˈam]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [a.bɾaˈam]

Abraham m

1. a male given name, equivalent to English Abraham
2. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham

• abrahàmic

From English Abraham and Spanish Abraham, from Late Latin Ābraham, from Ancient Greek Ἀβραάμ (Abraám), from Hebrew אַבְרָהָם (avrahám, “Abraham”).

• Hyphenation: A‧bra‧ham

Abraham

1. a male given name from English or Spanish
2. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham

• Abrahám

• IPA^(key): [ˈabraɦam]

Abraham m anim

1. a male given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Abraham
2. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham

• “Abraham”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “Abrahám”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Ultimately from Latin Ābrahām, from Ancient Greek Ἀβραάμ (Abraám), from Biblical Hebrew אַבְרָהָם.

• IPA^(key): /ˈaː.braːˌɦɑm/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Abra‧ham

Abraham m

1. a male given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Abraham
2. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham

Ultimately from Biblical Hebrew אַבְרָהָם (Avrahám).

• IPA^(key): /á.blà.hàm/, [á.bɾ̃à.ʁàm ~ á.bɾ̃à.ʕàm ~ á.bɾ̃à.ɦàm], [á.bɾà.ʁàm ~ á.bɾà.ʕàm ~ á.bɾà.ɦàm]

• Audio:

  (file)

Ábràhàm

1. a male given name, equivalent to English Abraham
2. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham
   • 2016 [1913], Biblia alo Ŋɔŋlɔ Kɔkɔe La Le Eʋegbe Me [The Bible or the Holy Scriptures in Ewe], Bible Society of Ghana, Mose I 17:5:

     Eyata womagayɔ wò bena Abram akpɔ o, ke boŋ Abraham anye wò ŋkɔ.

     No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham.

Compare French Abraham.

Abraham m (ORB)

1. a male given name, equivalent to English Abraham
2. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham

• Gauchet, Louis & Jeanjaquet, Jules & Tappolet, Ernest (1924‒33) “Abraham”, in Glossaire des patois de la Suisse romande, Neuchâtel: Attinger.
• ORB 4.9.18

From Latin Ābrahām.

• IPA^(key): /a.bʁa.am/

• Audio (Paris):

  (file)

Abraham m

1. a male given name, equivalent to English Abraham
2. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham

Learned borrowing from Late Latin Ābraham, from Ancient Greek Ἀβραάμ (Abraám), from Hebrew אַבְרָהָם (aḇrāˈhām, “Abraham”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈaːbʁaˌha(ː)m/
• IPA^(key): /ˈaːbʁa(ː)m/ (often in fluent speech, not usually in isolation)

• Audio:

  (file)

Abraham m (proper noun, strong, genitive Abrahams)

1. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham
2. a male given name from Biblical Hebrew, equivalent to English Abraham

Abraham m (proper noun, genitive singular Abrahams)

1. a male given name

• Ásgeir Blöndal Magnússon (1989) Íslensk orðsifjabók, Reykjavík: Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, →ISBN (Available at Málið.is under the “Eldri orðabækur” tab.)
• Kristín Bjarnadóttir, editor (2002–2025), “Abraham”, in Beygingarlýsing íslensks nútímamáls [The Database of Modern Icelandic Inflection] (in Icelandic), Reykjavík: The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies
• Mörður Árnason (2019) Íslensk orðabók, 5th edition, Reykjavík: Forlagið

Ultimately from Biblical Hebrew אַבְרָהָם.

• (Waingmaw) IPA^(key): [ʔæp̚˧˧.ɹa˧˧.hæm˧˧]
• Hyphenation: Ab‧ra‧ham

Abraham

1. Abraham (biblical character)
   • 2005, “Apoem ayang꞉ 21:24 [Genesis 21:24]”, in Jhoem꞉ mougsougˮ [The Book of the Bible]‎^[1], page 30:

     Abraham gi «Ngoo dangsooˮ byid:» ga꞉ tid kaid.

     Abraham said: «I swear».

• Isag (“Isaac”)

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἀβραάμ (Abraám).

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈaː.bra.(ɦ)ãː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈaː.bra.am]

Ābrahām m (genitive Ābrahām or Ābrahae); indeclinable, variously declined, first declension

1. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham
   • Late 4th century, Jerome [et al.], transl., edited by Roger Gryson, Biblia Sacra: Iuxta Vulgatam Versionem (Vulgate), 5th edition, Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, published 2007, →ISBN, Genesis 17:5:

     nec ultra vocabitur nomen tuum Abram, sed appellaberis Abraham quia patrem multarum gentium constitui te.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Indeclinable noun or first-declension noun (nominative/vocative singular in -ām), singular only.

• “Abraham”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Abraham in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

• IPA^(key): [a.bra.ham]
• Rhymes: -ham, -am
• Hyphenation: A‧bra‧ham

Abraham (Jawi spelling ابراهام)

1. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham

   Synonym: Ibrahim (Islam)

• Abram, Bramu

Borrowed from Italian Abramo, from Latin Ābrahām, from Ancient Greek Ἀβραάμ (Abraám), from Hebrew אַבְרָהָם (ʾaḇrāhām). The insertion of the mute -h- in the spelling directly after the Hebrew form; compare Għesaw (“Esau”).

• IPA^(key): /abˈraːm/
• Rhymes: -aːm

Abraham m

1. a male given name, equivalent to English Abraham
2. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham

From Old English Abraham.

Abraham

1. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham
   • c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.)‎^[2], published c. 1410, Matheu 1:1–2, page 1r, column 2, lines 1–5; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:

     The book of þe generacıoū of ıhū crıſt .· þe ſone of dauıd þe ſone of abꝛaham / abꝛaham bıgat yſaac / yſaac bıgat ıacob / ıacob bıgat ıudas ⁊ hıſe bꝛıþ̇en /

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. a male given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Abraham

• English: Abraham
• Scots: Abraham, Aubrahaum, Aubrahawm, Awbrahawm

Ultimately from Hebrew אַבְרָהָם ('aḇrāhām).

• IPA^(key): /²aːbra(h)am/

Abraham m (definite Abrahamen)

1. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham
2. a male given name

• Habraham

Borrowed from Latin Ābrahām.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑːb.rɑˌxɑːm/, [ˈɑːb.rɑˌhɑːm]

Ābrahām m

1. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham

Strong a-stem:

• Middle English: Abraham
  • English: Abraham
  • Scots: Abraham, Aubrahaum, Aubrahawm, Awbrahawm

Learned borrowing from Late Latin Ābrahām. Doublet of Abram.

• IPA^(key): /aˈbra.xam/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -axam
• Syllabification: A‧bra‧ham

Abraham m pers (related adjective Abrahamowy or Abrahamowski)

1. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham

   Synonym: Abram

2. (countable, rare) a male given name from Late Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek, in turn from Hebrew], equivalent to English Abraham
3. (countable) a male surname from Late Latin

Abraham f (indeclinable)

1. (countable) a female surname from Late Latin

• Abraham in Polish dictionaries at PWN
• Abraham in PWN's encyclopedia
• Samuel Bogumił Linde (1807–1814) “Abraham”, in Słownik języka polskiego, volume 1, page 3
• “Abraham”, in Internetowy słownik nazwisk w Polsce [Internet dictionary of surnames in Poland], 2022

• Aubrahaum, Aubrahawm, Awbrahawm

From Middle English Abraham, from Old English Abraham, from Late Latin Ābrahām.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑː.brə.hɑm/

Abraham

1. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham

• “Abraham”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC.

• Abrahán

• IPA^(key): /aˈbɾam/ [aˈβ̞ɾãm]
  • Rhymes: -am
• IPA^(key): /abɾaˈam/ [a.β̞ɾaˈãm]
  • Rhymes: -am
• Syllabification: A‧bra‧ham

Abraham m

1. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham
   • 1602, La Santa Biblia (antigua versión de Casiodoro de Reina), Génesis 17:5:

     Y no se llamará más tu nombre Abram, sino que será tu nombre Abraham, porque te he puesto por padre de muchedumbre de gentes.

     Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

     (KJV)

2. a male given name of rare usage, equivalent to English Abraham

• “Abraham”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 10 December 2024

Abraham c (genitive Abrahams)

1. a male given name, equivalent to English Abraham
2. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham

Borrowed from Spanish Abraham with the silent /h/ pronounced, ultimately from Hebrew אַבְרָהָם ('aḇrāhām, “Abraham”). Doublet of Ibrahim.

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ʔabɾaˈham/ [ʔɐ.bɾɐˈham]
• Rhymes: -am
• Syllabification: A‧bra‧ham

Abrahám (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜊ᜔ᜇᜑᜋ᜔)

1. (biblical, Abrahamism) Abraham
2. a male given name, equivalent to English Abraham

• IPA^(key): /a.bʀa.ˈham/

Abraham

1. alternative form of Abråm