mitzvah
UK[ˈmɪtsvə]US[ˈmɪtsvə]
n
a good deed or act that fulfills a religious duty or commandment in Judaism
n
a commandment or precept from the Torah, viewed as a religious or moral duty
Etymology
The word 'mitzvah' entered English directly from the Hebrew 'mitzvah' (commandment), which itself derives from the root 'tzavah' (to command). In Jewish tradition, it refers specifically to one of the 613 divine commandments found in the Torah, encompassing both ritual and ethical laws. Over time, its usage in English broadened beyond the strictly religious context to also denote any commendable or charitable act, reflecting the cultural influence of the concept. Thus, the word's journey from a specific Hebrew legal term to a more general English term for a good deed illustrates the adaptation of religious vocabulary into secular moral language.
Analysis
This word is a direct loanword from Hebrew (מִצְוָה, miṣwāh). It is not productively segmented using English morphemes. Its core components are from the Hebrew root צ-ו-ה (ṣ-w-h), meaning "to command."
Examples
Helping his elderly neighbor with groceries was considered a true mitzvah.
The bar mitzvah ceremony marks a boy's coming of age in the Jewish faith.
She performed a small mitzvah by volunteering at the community shelter.