Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A member of the lineage of Jews who were of the tribe of Levi but not descended from Aaron, and whose men historically served as assistants to the Temple priests.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun In Jewish hist., a descendant of Levi, one of the sons of Jacob; one of the tribe of Levi.
- noun Specifically, one of a body of assistants to the priests in the tabernacle and temple service of the Jews.
- noun Hence In the early Christian church, a deacon as distinguished from a priest.
- noun A priest; a clergyman: often in slight contempt.
- noun A fashionable dress for women, introduced about 1780. It was satirized by Horace Walpole as resembling “a man's night-gown bound round with a belt.”
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Bib. Hist.) One of the tribe or family of Levi; a descendant of Levi; esp., one subordinate to the priests (who were of the same tribe) and employed in various duties connected with the tabernacle first, and afterward the temple, such as the care of the building, bringing of wood and other necessaries for the sacrifices, the music of the services, etc.
- noun A priest; -- so called in contempt or ridicule.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A member of the
Hebrew tribe ofLevi .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi (especially the branch that provided male assistants to the temple priests)
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word Levite.
Examples
-
It is perhaps correct to say that Moses actually was descended from Levi, and that the later significance of the name Levite is to be explained by reference to him.
Prolegomena Julius Wellhausen 1881
-
Hiereus than with the word Levite, it is time that some order should be taken both with the book and the Clergy.
On the Old Road, Vol. 2 (of 2) A Collection of Miscellaneous Essays and Articles on Art and Literature John Ruskin 1859
-
a certain Levite ... took to him a concubine -- The priests under the
-
Higros the Levite was the last of Israelitish tone-artists.
Jewish Literature and Other Essays Gustav Karpeles 1878
-
Here was an assembly of the people of God, not a convocation of the Levites and priests, though a Levite was the person principally concerned in the cause, but an assembly of the people, to whom the Levite referred himself with an Appello populum -- I appeal to the people.
Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume II (Joshua to Esther) 1721
-
As a devotee to the Muses, he published seve - ral poems, particularly one, called The Levite's Revenge, being me - ditations, in verse, on the 19th and 20tk chapters of Judges; and one play, which, whether it was ever performed or not cannot be ascertained.
Biographia dramatica, or, A companion to the playhouse: 1782
-
"Levite," once the title of honour bestowed on all priests, became more and more confined to members of the second order of the clergy.
Prolegomena Julius Wellhausen 1881
-
One of the few prayers prescribed in the Bible includes “I have also given it [a tithe] to the Levite, the proselyte, to the orphan, and to the widow, according to the commandments You commanded me; I have not transgressed any of your commandments and I have not forgotten … I have hearkened to the voice of Hashem, my G-d, I have acted according to everything You commanded me.”
Performance Evaluations and Yom Kippur | Managing Greatness 2009
-
Right now the church is like the priest and the Levite in this story, walking by the oppressed LGBT youth.
Rev. Dr. Janet Edwards: Gay Teen Suicides: People of Faith, Step Up for Our Youth! Rev. Dr. Janet Edwards 2010
-
A priest and a Levite pass this man, but in the end, it is the Samaritan who takes pity on the man, bandages him, and pays for his food and shelter (Luke 10: 25-37).
Rev. Dr. Janet Edwards: Gay Teen Suicides: People of Faith, Step Up for Our Youth! Rev. Dr. Janet Edwards 2010
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.