bar mitz·vah
bär-ˈmits-və 
often capitalized B&M
1
: a Jewish boy who reaches his 13th birthday and attains the age of religious duty and responsibility
2
: the initiatory ceremony recognizing a boy as a bar mitzvah
bar mitzvahed; bar mitzvahing
: to administer the ceremony of bar mitzvah to
Examples of bar mitzvah in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Scottie Andrew, CNN, 9 Feb. 2025
The synagogue scenes, Grant wrote, were shot at Liverpool’s Princes Road Synagogue, as the actual Greenbank synagogue that hosted both Epstein’s bar mitzvah and funeral no longer exists, and Marsan wore Grant’s late father’s tallit in the film.
—Stephen Silver, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2025
Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2022
The Musical, an adaptation of the coming-of-age Broadway show about Evan Goldman, a teen who's about to make his bar mitzvah.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 10 Aug. 2022
See all Example Sentences for bar mitzvah 
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Noun
Lamar had everyone from middle schoolers on the dancefloor at a bar mitzvah to former Vice President Kamala Harris at the BET Awards quoting his single.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN, 9 Feb. 2025
The synagogue scenes, Grant wrote, were shot at Liverpool’s Princes Road Synagogue, as the actual Greenbank synagogue that hosted both Epstein’s bar mitzvah and funeral no longer exists, and Marsan wore Grant’s late father’s tallit in the film.
—Stephen Silver, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2025
Verb
Mayor William O’Dwyer attended his bar mitzvah and gave him a $20 bill.
—Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2022
The Musical, an adaptation of the coming-of-age Broadway show about Evan Goldman, a teen who's about to make his bar mitzvah.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 10 Aug. 2022
See all Example Sentences for bar mitzvah
Dictionary Entries Near bar mitzvah
Cite this Entry
“Bar mitzvah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bar%20mitzvah. Accessed 18 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bar mitzvah
1 of 2 noun
bar mitz·vah
bär-ˈmits-və
often capitalized B&M
1
: a Jewish boy who on his 13th birthday reaches the age of religious duty and responsibility
2
: the ceremony recognizing a boy as a bar mitzvah
bar mitzvah
2 of 2 verb
bar mitzvahed; bar mitzvahing
: to administer the ceremony of bar mitzvah to
Etymology
Noun
from Hebrew bar miṣwāh, literally, "son of the (divine) law"
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