Emunah
/ɛməˈnuːɑː/noun
A Hebrew term meaning faith, faithfulness, trust, or steadfast commitment, especially in a religious context.
Did you know?In Biblical Hebrew, emunah often describes reliability and steadfastness—something lived out through action, not merely an internal belief.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*ʔmn
“To be firm, reliable, trustworthy, or secure”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
אמן — ʔ-m-n
“A verbal root expressing firmness, trustworthiness, faithfulness, and confirmation”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
אֱמוּנָה — emunah
“Firmness, faithfulness, fidelity, or trust”
Second Temple and Rabbinic Periods
Hebrew
emunah
“Faithfulness and religious trust; a quality demonstrated through conduct”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
īmān / amānah
“Faith or belief / trust, security, or something entrusted; related through the Semitic root”
Medieval Latin and English
English
emunah
“A modern English loanword used particularly in Jewish, theological, and spiritual writing”