targum

T1A1R1G2U1M3
UK/ˈtɑːɡəm//tɑɹˈɡuːm/

noun

An Aramaic translation of the Tanakh written or compiled between the Second Temple period and the early Middle Ages.

Meanings

targum1

nountargum (plural targums or targumim)

plural targums · plural targumim

  1. JudaismAn Aramaic translation of the Tanakh written or compiled between the Second Temple period and the early Middle Ages.

    Jonathan who compiled the Thargum, conceives the colours of these banners to answer the pretious stones in the breastplate, and upon which the names of the Tribes were engraven.

    1646, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, V.10
    1 more example

    Eventually, the words of such Aramaic whisper-translations (called chuchotage in the modern world of international interpreters) were written down, mostly in small fragments, and these targums now provide precious linguistic and historical records for scholars of Judaism.

    2011, David Bellos, Is That a Fish in Your Ear?, Penguin, published 2012, page 141

Targum2

nounTargum (plural Targums or Targumim)

plural Targums · plural Targumim

  1. Alternative letter-case form of targum.

Origin

  1. Hebrewתַּרְגּוּם“translation”
  2. Englishtargum

From Hebrew תַּרְגּוּם (targúm, “translation”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French targum
  • targumtranslation of the Tanakh
German Targum
  • Targumtranslation of the Tanakh
Italian targum
  • targumtranslation of the Tanakh
Polish targum
  • targumtranslation of the Tanakh
Swedish targum
  • targumtranslation of the Tanakh
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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