Yahudi

Yahudi is a term used in several languages to refer to a Jew or the Jewish people. It derives from the Hebrew Yehudi, meaning "from Judah" or "of Judah." In Biblical Hebrew, Yehudi originally described a person from the Kingdom of Judah and later came to denote Jews as a people.

In modern usage, Yahudi appears in Turkish, Indonesian, Malay, Persian, Urdu, and other languages as the standard word for Jew. It is used to designate individuals who practice Judaism or belong to Jewish communities, and for the Jewish people as a whole. The term is grounded in historical ties to the ancient Israelites and the Kingdom of Judah, and it has carried religious, ethnic, and cultural connotations through the centuries, including the Jewish diaspora.

Across languages and eras, the term can be used in neutral, descriptive contexts such as scholarly writing or news reporting, but tone matters. In some settings, it can be employed pejoratively or stereotypically, as with any ethnic or religious label, so respectful usage is advised.

Related topics include Judaism, the Jewish people, and the Hebrew language.