English

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Etymology

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From rabbi +‎ -n- +‎ -ical.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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rabbinical (not comparable)

  1. Of or relating to rabbis, their writings, or their work.
    Synonym: rabbinic
    • 1581, Robert Parsons, A Brief Censure vppon Two Bookes Written in Answere to M. Edmonde Campions Offer of Disputation, Doway: John Lyon, “Towching the Societie,” section heading,[1]
      Three kyndes of Rabbinical expositions of the Law.
    • 1665, Robert Boyle, Occasional Reflections upon Several Subiects[2], London: Henry Herringman, Reflection 7, pp. 168-169:
      to gain a little Rabbinical Learning, and find out some unobvious signification of a Word or Phrase, he must devour the tedious and voluminous Rhapsodies that make up the Talmud, in many of which he can scarce learn any thing but the Art of saying nothing in a multitude of words;
    • 1766, Elizabeth Griffith, The Double Mistake, London: J. Almon et al., Act I, Scene 3,[3]
      Her father was a very learned divine, and who can tell but she may understand the rabbinical text?
    • 1876, George Eliot, Daniel Deronda[4], Book 8, Chapter 68:
      Deronda was reading a piece of rabbinical Hebrew under Ezra’s correction and comment []
    • 1969, Philip Roth, chapter 5, in Portnoy’s Complaint[5], New York: Vintage, published 1994, page 203:
      Oh, please, [] I’m a big boy now—so you can knock off the rabbinical righteousness. It turns out to be a little laughable at this stage of the game.

Translations

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