Barabbas

Ba·rab·bas
B3A1R1A1B3B3A1S1
/bəˈɹæbəs/

proper noun

In the accounts of the Passion of Christ, an insurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed at the Passover feast in Jerusalem, instead of Jesus.

OriginLatin Barabbās ← Ancient Greek Βαραββᾶς ← Aramaic בּר אַבָּא →
UncommonScrabble 14
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. ChristianityIn the accounts of the Passion of Christ, an insurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed at the Passover feast in Jerusalem, instead of Jesus.

    And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made inſurrection with him, who had committed murder in the inſurrection.

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Mark 15:7

Origin

  1. Aramaicבּר אַבָּא“son of the father”
  2. Ancient GreekΒαραββᾶς
  3. LatinBarabbās
  4. EnglishBarabbas

Borrowed from Latin Barabbās, from Ancient Greek Βαραββᾶς (Barabbâs), from Aramaic בּר אַבָּא (bar ʾabbā, “son of the father”).

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek, Aramaic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek Βαραββᾶς
  • Βαραββᾶς (Barabbâs)insurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed instead of releasing Jesus
Catalan Barrabàs
  • Barrabàsinsurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed instead of releasing Jesus
Greek Βαραββάς
  • Βαραββάς (Varavvás)insurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed instead of releasing Jesus
Hindi बरअब्बा
  • बरअब्बा (baraabbā)insurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed instead of releasing Jesus
Italian Barabba
  • Barabbainsurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed instead of releasing Jesus
Latin Barabbās
  • Barabbāsinsurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed instead of releasing Jesus
Polish Barabasz
  • Barabaszinsurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed instead of releasing Jesus
Portuguese Barrabás
  • Barrabásinsurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed instead of releasing Jesus
Russian Вара́вва
  • Вара́вва (Varávva)insurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed instead of releasing Jesus
Spanish Barrabás
  • Barrabásinsurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed instead of releasing Jesus
Cite this entry
APA

Barabbas. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Barabbas

MLA

“Barabbas.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Barabbas. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Barabbas,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Barabbas.

Source: Barabbas on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.