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Glite Dictionary
Levite

Levite

9.9
A person from the tribe of Levi who helped priests in the Temple in ancient Jerusalem
  • noun
  • /ˈliːvaɪt/
translation icon : levita
  • We have the robbers, we have the priest and the Levite, and we have the Samaritan.

We have the robbers, we have the priest and the Levite, and we have the Samaritan.

Examples

  • Levites in the center, Judah to the right, Hephron to the left.

    The Ten Commandments (1956)

  • Count the Levites by their families and clan.

  • The levite... peace!

    King David (1985)

  • The Levites were responsible for maintaining the sacred items in the ancient Temple of Jerusalem.

  • In Biblical times, Levites assisted the priests during religious ceremonies and offered support for the rituals.

  • According to tradition, Levites did not own land but were given cities to dwell in while serving the community.

Compounds

Levite tribe
8.9

A group from ancient Israel who descend from Levi and serve in the temple

Surface Forms

Levite singular
Levites plural

Morphology

Levite = Levi (transparent) = Levi + ite

Formed by the proper name 'Levi' plus the productive suffix '-ite' meaning a member or descendant, so the meaning is directly derivable from its parts.

Etymology

Levite comes from the Hebrew name Levi, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The name Levi is linked to the idea 'to join', and members of that tribe were chosen to join and help the priests in the Temple, so a Levite is a person from that tribe who assisted the priests.