Barnabas

B3A1R1N1A1B3A1S1
US/ˈbɑɹnəbəs/UK/ˈbɑːnəbəs/

proper noun

An early Christian, one of the earliest Christian disciples in Jerusalem

OriginAncient Greek Βαρναβᾶς ← Aramaic בַרְנֶבֻאָה →
Less commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. biblicalAn early Christian, one of the earliest Christian disciples in Jerusalem

    And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation, ) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 4:36–37
  2. A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.

Origin

  1. Aramaicבַרְנֶבֻאָה
  2. Ancient GreekΒαρναβᾶς
  3. EnglishBarnabas

From Ancient Greek Βαρναβᾶς (Barnabâs), from Aramaic בַרְנֶבֻאָה (barneḇú’â, literally “prophet's son”), from בּר (bar, “son of”) and נְבִיָּא (nəḇiyyā, “prophet”).

More words from Ancient Greek, Aramaic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek Βαρναβᾶς
  • Βαρναβᾶς (Barnabâs)An early Christian
Arabic بَرْنَابَا
  • بَرْنَابَا (barnābā)An early Christian
Bulgarian Варнава, Варнава
  • Варнава (Varnava)An early Christian
  • Варнава (Varnava)male given name
Catalan Bernabé, Bernabé
  • BernabéAn early Christian
  • Bernabémale given name
Finnish Barnabas
  • BarnabasAn early Christian
French Barnabé
  • BarnabéAn early Christian
Greek Βαρνάβας
  • Βαρνάβας (Varnávas)An early Christian
Hindi बरनबास, बार्नबस
  • बरनबास (barnabās)An early Christian
  • बार्नबस (bārnabas)male given name
Hungarian Barnabás, Barnabás
  • BarnabásAn early Christian
  • Barnabásmale given name
Italian Barnaba, Barnaba
  • BarnabaAn early Christian
  • Barnabamale given name
Latin Barnabas
  • BarnabasAn early Christian
Māori Pānapa
  • Pānapamale given name
Polish Barnaba, Barnaba
  • BarnabaAn early Christian
  • Barnabamale given name
Portuguese Barnabé, Barnabé
  • BarnabéAn early Christian
  • Barnabémale given name
Russian Варна́ва
  • Варна́ва (Varnáva)An early Christian
Spanish Bernabé, Bernabé
  • BernabéAn early Christian
  • Bernabémale given name
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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