# Jew

> English word · Noun · IPA /d͡ʒuː/ · frequency rank #8,683

## Definitions
1. An adherent of Judaism.
2. A member or descendant of the Jewish people.
3. A miserly or greedy person; a cheapskate.
4. A ship's tailor.

## Etymology
From Middle English Jew, Giu, Giw, Ju, from Old French juiu, Giu, gyu, from Latin iūdaeus (“Judean (i.e. Jew)”), from Ancient Greek Ἰουδαῖος (Ioudaîos), from Ἰουδά (Ioudá), Ἰούδας (Ioúdas, “Judah, Judas, Jude”) + -ιος (-ios, suffix forming adjectives), from Biblical Hebrew יְהוּדָה (y'hudá, “male given name, Yehuda; Judah, Judea”). Doublet of Yid. Displaced Old English Iūdēisċ.

## Easily confused with
- **Jr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jr)
- **jo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jo)
- **JI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-ji)
- **Ju** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-ju)
- **JK** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jk)
- **JV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jv)
- **JW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jw)
- **JG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jg)
- **job** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-job)
- **Joe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-joe)
- **Jim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jim)
- **joy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-joy)
- **Jon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jon)
- **jin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jin)
- **jun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jun)
- **JFK** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jfk)
- **jog** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jog)
- **jug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jug)
- **jus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jus)
- **Joo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-joo)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/jew