maven
maven
Definitions
- "An expert or connoisseur; a specialist" (JPS)
Example Sentences
- "She's a maven of the history of the synagogue."
Languages of Origin
Textual Hebrew, Yiddish
Etymology
Yiddish מבֿין méyvn 'expert', from Heb מבין mevín 'understands' (singular masculine present tense), 'one who understands'
Who Uses This
Jews: Jews of diverse religious backgrounds and organizational involvements
Non-Jews: (words that have spread outside of Jewish networks)
Regions
North America
Dictionaries
The New Joys of Yiddish, by Leo Rosten and Lawrence Bush (New York, 2003[1968]).
Dictionary of Jewish Usage: A Guide to the Use of Jewish Terms, by Sol Steinmetz (Lanham, MD, 2005).
The JPS Dictionary of Jewish Words, by Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic, (Philadelphia, 2001)
Edit See something you disagree with? Feel free to edit it. All changes will be moderated.