Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
✡️ A name for God 👦 A male name
Adonai

Adonai

1 9.9
A respectful Hebrew name used for God in Jewish prayer
  • proper noun
  • /ˌædəˈnaɪ/
translation icon : Adonai
  • It became the practice of ancient Hebrews to substitute the word "Adonai" (Lord) for "Jehovah" (God's proper name) in order to prevent the misuse of that name by simply forbidding it to ever be spoken or written.
  • Baruch Atah Adonai
  • Adonai, our God

Here's a God, lowercase G Adonai Elohim, chief Chieftain of the gods, who doesn't want us to have knowledge.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • In my prayers, I often address Adonai as a sign of my deep respect for God.

  • The other feasts were established by Adonai as mo'eds, divinely appointed times for His people to come to His presence and assemble with Him.

    Blog text (24)

  • "In the name of Adonai, God of Israel.

    The Unborn (2009)

  • It is the way Adonai created us.

    Blog text (5)

  • Adonai, the Jews cried, Elohim.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Thus says Adonai Yahweh, "I will also destroy the idols and make the images cease from Memphis."

    Blog text (3)

  • Now Adonai said to Avram, "Get yourself out of your country, away from your kinsmen and away from your father's house, and go to the land that I will show you."

    Blog text (19)

  • If by compassion we mean mercy, our account of it would have to begin with the creation of the world, which according to the rabbis was the work of God acting not as Elohim (the name that implies his justice) but Adonai (that which implies his mercy).

    Academic text (1997)

  • Many Jewish people use the word Adonai during religious services to honor their faith.

  • During the Yom Kippur service, we frequently recite the name Adonai to seek forgiveness.

Synonyms

Lord
vsAdonai
  • Literature
197 5.5

God in Christianity and Judaism who people pray to

is a Hebrew respectful name used specifically in Jewish practice
Almighty
vsAdonai
  • Formal
159 8.4

A name for God used in some religions

is a respectful Hebrew form used for address rather than power
Jehovah
vsAdonai
50 7.5

A name used for God in the Old Testament

functions as the respectful Hebrew form used instead of that transliteration
Yahweh
vsAdonai
18 9.3

The name used for the God of ancient Israel in the Old Testament

is the respectful spoken substitute used instead of that personal name
YHWH
vsAdonai
  • Literature
3 9.9

A sacred name for God used in the Hebrew Bible, written as YHWH

serves as the respectful spoken name used in place of that form
Elohim
vsAdonai
  • Literature
3 9.9

A Hebrew name in the Bible used for God or gods

is a specific respectful Hebrew name used in Jewish worship
Jahweh
vsAdonai
  • Formal
1 9.9

A name for God in the Old Testament

acts as the respectful spoken substitute used instead of that variant
JHVH
vsAdonai
9.9

The holy name of God in the Hebrew Bible written with four Hebrew letters

is the respectful spoken address used rather than that letter rendering
Yahveh
vsAdonai
9.9

A name for God in the Hebrew Bible

is the respectful Hebrew address typically used instead of those transliterations
Jahvey
vsAdonai
  • Formal
9.9

A name for God written using the Hebrew letters YHVH

is the traditional respectful Hebrew form used instead of such variants

Surface Forms

Adonai main

Etymology

Adonai comes from the Hebrew word Adon meaning 'lord', and the form can mean 'my lord', so Adonai is used as a respectful name for God in Jewish prayers.