judaico

Judaico is an adjective used in Spanish and Portuguese to denote things related to Judaism, Jewish people, or Jewish culture. It corresponds to the English Judaic or Judeo- in various compound terms, such as derecho judaico (Jewish law), arte judaico (Jewish art), or pensamiento judaico (Jewish thought). The feminine form is judaica, as in tradición judaica. The term is widely employed in religious, historical, and academic contexts to describe beliefs, practices, texts, law, or communities associated with Judaism, as opposed to descriptors of individuals; for people the usual term is judío.

Etymology: Judaico derives from Latin Iudaicus, via Old French judaïque, into Spanish and Portuguese. The root ultimately reflects Iudaea/Iudaeos in reference to Judah and the Jewish people. The term has long circulated in scholarly and ecclesiastical language and remains common in modern Iberian usage.

Usage notes: In contemporary Iberian languages, judaico is used neutrally to label cultural or religious phenomena. English-language translations often render similar ideas as Judaic or Judeo-, and academic usage sometimes distinguishes Judaic from Jewish when referring to religion, law, or literature, while Jewish is preferred for people. The prefix Judeo- also appears in historical or cultural compounds such as Judeo-Christian, Judeo-Islamic, or Judeo-Arabic, reflecting intersecting traditions within shared historical spaces.

See also: Judeo-Christian, Judaic studies, Jewish law, Judaic literature.