What does yeshivah mean?
A yeshivah is a Jewish religious school, especially one in which Torah and Talmud are studied. The term is used for schools with different curricula and educational levels, but in common American usage it often suggests a school for advanced religious study beyond high school. A student may attend a yeshivah for a period of intensive Torah, Talmud, or Jewish thought, while rabbis and scholars may teach or lead sessions there. Although the word is specialized rather than everyday English, it generally appears in discussions of Jewish education, religious institutions, and scholarship. Its name comes from Hebrew and originally referred to a sitting or a place devoted to study, linking the modern school to the older idea of learners gathering with a teacher. Knowing yeshivah helps distinguish a specifically Jewish religious educational setting from a synagogue, a seminary in the Christian sense, or an ordinary academic school. It also identifies a tradition of collaborative textual study in which argument, memory, and interpretation are central features.
nounA Jewish school, especially one devoted to the study of Torah, Talmud, and related Jewish texts.
- A Jewish school or educational institution devoted primarily to Torah, Talmud, and other religious study.
"After completing her undergraduate degree, she enrolled in a yeshivah to study Talmud."
"After completing her undergraduate degree, she enrolled in a yeshivah to study Talmud."
"The rabbi taught an advanced Talmud class at the yeshivah."
The regular English plural adds -s; plural yeshivoth also occurs in more traditional or Hebrew-influenced usage.
"Scholars from several yeshivahs met for an interfaith discussion."
The Hebrew name behind yeshivah literally means “a sitting,” recalling the ages-old practice of gathering to learn.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of yeshivah
The word comes from Hebrew יְשִׁיבָה (yeshivah), literally “a sitting” and by extension a place where study is undertaken, from the Hebrew root שׁב (š-b), “to sit.” Jewish communities brought the term into English, where both yeshivah and yeshiva became established spellings, with yeshivah retaining a more traditional Hebrew form.
How yeshivah is actually used
This is primarily a term of Jewish religious and educational usage. It may denote schools at different educational levels, but in common American usage it often suggests advanced Torah or Talmud study beyond high school.
Easily confused with yeshivah
Yeshiva is an alternative spelling of yeshivah, not a separate word or a distinct meaning.