kabbalah

K5A1B3B3A1L1A1H4
/kəˈbɑːlə//ˈkɑːbələ//ˈkɑːbəlɑː//ˌkɑːbɑːˈlɑː/

proper noun

A body of mystical Jewish teachings based on an esoteric reading of the Hebrew scriptures.

Less commonScrabble 19

Meanings

kabbalah1

nounkabbalah (plural kabbalahs)

plural kabbalahs

  1. alternativeAlternative spelling of Kabbalah.

Kabbalah2

proper noun

alternative Cabala · alternative Cabalah · alternative Cabbala · alternative Cabbalah · alternative Kabala · alternative Kabalah · alternative Kabbala · alternative Qabala · alternative Qabalah · alternative Qabbala · alternative Qabbālāh · alternative cabala · alternative cabalah · alternative cabbala · alternative cabbalah · alternative kabala

  1. JudaismA body of mystical Jewish teachings based on an esoteric reading of the Hebrew scriptures.

    Hasidism is closely allied with the fundamental teachings of the Kabbalah, the system of Jewish esoteric thought and mysticism.

    1991, Stacy C. Hollander, Harry Lieberman: a journey of remembrance, page 49
    1 more example

    In addition to vitriolic criticism of Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, Owens’s controversial claims that, for example, the Jewish mystical practice Kabbalah is a “pedophile-centric religion” have drawn condemnation from Jewish advocacy groups.

    2025 April 24, Anna Silman, “Now comes the ‘womanosphere’: the anti-feminist media telling women to be thin, fertile and Republican”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 05 Aug 2025

Synonyms & antonyms

nounan esoteric theosophy of rabbinical origin based on the Hebrew scriptures and developed between the 7th and 18th centuries

Broader

nounan esoteric or occult matter resembling the Kabbalah that is traditionally secret

Also see

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Hebrewקַבָּלָה“Jewish mysticism”
  2. EnglishKabbalah

Borrowed from Hebrew קַבָּלָה (kabalá, “Jewish mysticism”, literally “something received”). It refers to the notion that Kabbalah is a set of mystical doctrines received in antiquity and passed on in small circles. Doublet of cabal.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic قَبَالَة
  • قَبَالَة (qabāla)body of teachings
Catalan càbala
  • càbalabody of teachings
Chinese Mandarin 卡巴拉
  • 卡巴拉 (kǎbālā)body of teachings
Danish kabbala
  • kabbalabody of teachings
Dutch Kabbala
  • Kabbalabody of teachings
Finnish kabbala
  • kabbalabody of teachings
French kabbale
  • kabbalebody of teachings
German Kabbala, Kaballah
  • Kabbalabody of teachings
  • Kaballahbody of teachings
Hebrew קַבָּלָה
  • קַבָּלָה (kabbala)body of teachings
Japanese カバラ
  • カバラ (kabara)body of teachings
Korean 카발라
  • 카발라 (kaballa)body of teachings
Persian کابالا
  • کابالاbody of teachings
Polish kabała
  • kabałabody of teachings
Portuguese cabala
  • cabalabody of teachings
Russian каббала́, кабала́
  • каббала́ (kabbalá)body of teachings
  • кабала́ (kabalá)body of teachings
Spanish cábala
  • cábalabody of teachings
Swedish kabbala
  • kabbalabody of teachings
Yiddish קבלה
  • קבלה (kabole)body of teachings
Cite this entry
APA

kabbalah. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kabbalah

MLA

“kabbalah.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kabbalah. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kabbalah,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kabbalah.

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