1. A member or descendant of a Semitic people claiming descent from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; an Israelite; a Jew.
2. 1. The Semitic language of the ancient Hebrews.
   2. Any of the various later forms of this language, especially the language of the Israelis.
3. Hebrews (used with a sing. verb) (Abbr. Heb.) A book of the Bible.

[Middle English Ebreu, from Old French, from Latin Hebraeus, Hebraic, from Greek Hebraios, from Aramaic 'ibrāy, from Hebrew 'ibrî.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.