Tsedek
/ˈtsɛ.dɛk/noun
A Hebrew term meaning justice, righteousness, or ethical integrity, used in English chiefly in Jewish, biblical, and scholarly contexts.
Did you know?In Deuteronomy 16:20, the phrase “tzedek, tzedek tirdof” repeats the word for justice—literally urging people to “pursue justice” with unusual emphasis.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
ṣ-d-q
“A root associated with being just, truthful, right, or in proper order”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
צֶדֶק (ṣedeq)
“Justice, righteousness, or right conduct”
Second Temple Period
Aramaic/Hebrew
צדק (ṣdq)
“Justice, merit, or righteousness in Jewish religious and legal usage”
Classical Hebrew Scholarship
Hebrew transliteration
tsedeq / tsedek
“A transliterated form used to represent the Hebrew term in Latin-alphabet writing”
Modern English
English
tsedek
“A specialized loanword referring to justice, righteousness, or ethical integrity”