Jacob

A male given name from Hebrew.

Proper noun

  1. A male given name from Hebrew.
    • "Georgette. How are you called?" "Jacob." "That's a Flemish name." "American too." "You're not a Flamand?" "No, American." "Good, I detest Flamands." - - - Brett smiled at him. "I've promised to dance this with Jacob,"...
    • Analysts and opinion polls had forecast losses for the ANC but a pivotal factor in the party’s staggering decline was former President Jacob Zuma and his newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, which capitalized on...

    1. (biblical) One of the sons of Isaac and Rebecca, and twin brother of Esau; father of the Israelites (Jews and Samaritans) by 12 sons by 4 consorts, most famously Judah and Joseph who fathered Manasseh.

      • And the boyes grew; and Eſau was a cunning hunter, a man of the fielde: and Iacob was a plaine man, dwelling in tents. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis...

      Synonyms: Yaakov Israel

    2. (Mormonism) The fifth son of Lehi and one of the younger brothers of Nephi, author of one of the books in the Book of Mormon.

Origin

From Middle English Iacob, from Late Latin Iācōbus, from Ancient Greek Ἰάκωβος (Iákōbos), from Biblical Hebrew יַעֲקֹב (yaʿăqōḇ, literally “he will/shall heel”), from עָקֵב (ʿāqēḇ, “heel”). Doublet of James, Yaakov, and Yakub.

Related

Jack Jacqueline Jacques Jake Jakeb James Jay

Derived

Jacari Jacob Creek Jacobean Jacob sheep Jacob's ladder Jacob's membrane Jacobs River Jacob's staff

Noun

  1. A breed of multihorned sheep.
  2. A ladder.
    • Where's the Jacob? — the what, sir? — the Jacob! the ladder ye fool! - 1825, M. Egerton, Airy Nothings; Or, Scraps and Naughts, and Odd-cum-shorts, page 26:

Forms

Jacobs