Gentile

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/gentile

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the etymological origin?Latin 'gentilis,' meaning 'of or belonging to a people or nation'
2. What is the primary semantic domain?Designation for individuals who are not Jewish
3. What does the word "gentile" mean?It means a person who is not Jewish. The word comes from Latin "gentilis," which originally meant belonging to a clan or nation.
4. Why is gentile used to describe people outside Judaism?When Hebrew and Greek books were translated into Latin and later into English, the word "gentilis" was used for people outside the Israelite covenant, making it a term for non-Jews.

Etymology: The study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history.
Semantics: The branch of linguistics and logic concerned with meaning.
Sociolinguistics: The study of language in relation to society, including how social factors affect language use.