tallit

noun

tal·​lit ˈtä-ləs How to pronounce tallit (audio)
ˈta-,
-lət,
-ləth
variants or less commonly tallis or tallith
ˈtä-ləs How to pronounce tallit (audio)
ˈta-,
-lət,
-ləth
plural tallitot ˌtä-lə-ˈtōt How to pronounce tallit (audio) or tallits ˈtä-ləts How to pronounce tallit (audio)
ˈta-
also tallises ˈtä-lə-səz How to pronounce tallit (audio)
ˈta-
or talliths ˈtä-ləths How to pronounce tallit (audio)
ˈta-
or tallitim ˌtä-lə-ˈsēm How to pronounce tallit (audio)
-ˈtēm,
-ˈthēm
or tallisim ˌtä-lə-ˈsēm How to pronounce tallit (audio)
-ˈtēm,
-ˈthēm
or tallithim ˌtä-lə-ˈsēm How to pronounce tallit (audio)
-ˈtēm,
-ˈthēm
: a shawl with fringed corners worn over the head or shoulders by Jewish men especially during morning prayers

Illustration of tallit

Illustration of tallit

Examples of tallit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Instead, Malachi, loyal to the ways of the Old World, keeps a prayer book in his pocket and wears a tallit under his shirt. Hawa Allan, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Aug. 2023 Notwithstanding the position of Targum Yerushalmi that a tallit is specifically designed for men, and therefore prohibited to women, virtually all other authorities disagree (Targum Yerushalmi, Deuteronomy 22:5). Rabbi Avi Weiss, sun-sentinel.com, 14 Mar. 2022 Some attendees took turns cradling the scroll and carrying it beneath a tallit, or prayer shawl. Rachel Román, sun-sentinel.com, 10 Nov. 2021 Other precautions in place included mandatory masking and the omission of the hakafot, a procession of the Torah that would typically include people kissing it or placing their tallit on the Torah and kissing that. Brieanna J. Frank, The Arizona Republic, 16 Sep. 2021 An antique silver clothing hanger that was likely used for a tallit, from a dealer in Fez, Morocco. Jennifer Alfano, WSJ, 9 Nov. 2018 Putting on a uniform included pulling a helmet over a yarmulke and strapping padding over a white, tasseled religious shawl, known as a tallit. Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tallit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Hebrew ṭallīth cover, cloak

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tallit was in 1613

Dictionary Entries Near tallit

Cite this Entry

“Tallit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tallit. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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