minyan
UK[ˈmɪnjən]US[ˈmɪnjən]
n
In Judaism, the quorum of ten adult Jewish males (or, in some modern communities, ten adult Jews) required for certain religious obligations, especially public prayer.
Etymology
The word 'minyan' entered English directly from the Hebrew 'minyān,' which itself derives from the root m-n-h, meaning "to count, to number." This etymological journey is straightforward, with the Hebrew term being adopted into Jewish liturgical English to denote the specific, countable quorum necessary for communal worship. The concept is central to Rabbinic Judaism, emphasizing the communal nature of certain prayers and rituals. Thus, the original concrete meaning of "a count" evolved into the specialized religious term for the specific number constituting a prayer community.
Analysis
The word is a direct loanword from Hebrew (מִנְיָן), meaning "number, count, enumeration." It functions as a simplex noun in English.
Examples
The evening service could not begin until they had gathered a minyan.
In many progressive congregations, a minyan may consist of ten Jewish adults, regardless of gender.
He stayed late at the synagogue to help form the tenth person for the minyan.