Levite
/ˈliː.vaɪt/noun
A member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi, traditionally associated with religious service in ancient Israel.
Did you know?In the Hebrew Bible, Levites were assigned ritual and custodial duties connected with the Tabernacle and later the Temple, while priests formed a specific subgroup descended from Aaron.
Etymological Timeline
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
לֵוִי (Lēwī)
“Levi, the personal name associated with the ancestor of the tribe”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
לֵוִי (lēwî)
“A Levite, a member of the tribe of Levi”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Λευίτης (Leuítēs)
“A Levite”
Late Latin
Latin
Levita
“A Levite”
Old English
English
Leofita
“A Levite”
Modern English
English
Levite
“A member of the tribe of Levi, especially one associated with ancient Israelite religious service”