Hakham
/ˈχaχam/noun
A Jewish sage or learned religious authority, especially one versed in Jewish law and tradition.
Did you know?Hakham comes from the Semitic root Ḥ-K-M, the same root behind Arabic hakim, meaning a wise person, ruler, or traditional physician.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*ḥ-k-m
“A root associated with wisdom, judgment, and the ability to govern wisely”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
חָכָם (ḥākām)
“Wise; skilled; a wise person”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
חָכְמָה (ḥokhmāh)
“Wisdom, including practical or sacred insight”
Rabbinic Hebrew
Mishnaic Hebrew
חכם (ḥakham)
“A sage or learned authority, especially an expert in Jewish law”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
ḥakīm
“Wise person; ruler; and, in later usage, a traditional physician”
Modern English
English
hakham
“A Jewish sage or religious scholar, used especially in discussions of Sephardic and Middle Eastern Jewish traditions”