yarmulke

noun

yar·​mul·​ke ˈyä-mə-kə How to pronounce yarmulke (audio) ˈyär-mə(l)-kə How to pronounce yarmulke (audio)
: a skullcap worn especially by Orthodox and Conservative Jewish males in the synagogue and the home

Examples of yarmulke in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pinky, a child’s pink toy horse, and a yarmulke belonging to his eldest son. — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026 The video shows a man wearing a Jewish yarmulke lying in a pool of blood just yards away. — Isabella Colletta, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2025 Early one morning last fall, Nathaniel Felder left his home, in Maplewood, New Jersey, dressed in a navy sweatshirt and a gray yarmulke. — Eyal Press, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026 The incident at the University of Pittsburgh involved two students who were wearing yarmulkes while walking on campus. — Joe Kottke, NBC News, 7 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for yarmulke

Word History

Etymology

Yiddish yarmlke, from Polish jarmułka & Ukrainian yarmulka skullcap, of Turkic origin; akin to Turkish yağmurluk rainwear

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of yarmulke was in 1903

Browse Nearby Words

Yarmouth
yarmulke
yarn
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Yarmulke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yarmulke. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

yarmulke

noun
yar·​mul·​ke ˈyäm-ə-kə How to pronounce yarmulke (audio) ˈyär-məl- How to pronounce yarmulke (audio)
: a skullcap worn especially by Jewish males
Etymology

Yiddish yarmlke "yarmulke"

More from Merriam-Webster on yarmulke

Nglish: Translation of yarmulke for Spanish Speakers

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