What does lazar mean?
Lazar is a rare and chiefly literary noun meaning a beggar or destitute person, especially the beggar in the biblical parable of Lazarus and the rich man. In older usage, it could also refer to someone suffering from leprosy or viewed as ritually unclean. The modern word is most memorable through the parable, in which Lazarus represents a poor man whose suffering is contrasted with the wealth and self-absorption of another character. In that context, “Lazar” has acquired associations with poverty, patience, faith, and hope beyond the strict limits of the original story. Outside biblical, religious, and historical writing, the term may sound archaic and can occasionally be confused with “laser,” which is a device producing a beam of light.
A beggar or destitute person, especially the biblical Lazarus.
"The rich man ignored Lazarus at his gate, while Lazarus remained outside in hardship."
Chiefly used in biblical, religious, literary, or archaic contexts. Capitalization usually identifies the biblical figure.
Archaically, a person afflicted with leprosy or considered ritually unclean.
"The old chronicle described the settlement as a place for lazers and other outcasts."
This sense is now archaic and is chiefly encountered in historical or religious writing.
Rare and chiefly used in generalizing literary or historical contexts.
"The writer portrayed the lazers as a forgotten population at the edge of the city."
The name Lazarus became a symbol of earthly suffering and hope, long remembered through Jesus’s parable of Lazarus and the rich man.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lazar come from?
The word entered English through Latin Lazarus, the Latinized form of Greek Λάζαρος, which in turn derives from the Hebrew name Eleazar, meaning “God has helped.” The biblical Lazarus is an individual form of that name. Later English developed the broader senses “beggar” and “leper,” and related forms such as lazarium, the Latin term associated with a leper house, reflect the same name and its associations with disease and affliction.
How lazar is actually used
Today the word is mainly literary, historical, or biblical. The lower-case form generally denotes a beggar or afflicted person; the capitalized form usually refers to the biblical figure.
Easily confused with lazar
A lazar is a beggar or afflicted person in chiefly biblical and archaic usage, whereas a laser is a device that produces a concentrated beam of light.