יְהוּדִי, (b. h.) Judaean, Jew (mostly in a religious sense), worshipper of one God. Meg. 12ᵇ קרי ליה י׳ אלמא מיהודה וכ׳ he is called Y’hudi (Esth. II, 5), which would indicate that he belongs to the tribe of Judah, and yet he is called ish y’mini &c.?, v. נִימוֹס. Ib. 13ᵃ … ואמאי י׳ … שכל הכופר בע"ז נקרא י׳ but why is he designated as Y’hudi? Because he disowned idolatry; for whosoever disowns idolatry, is called a Jew (ref. to Dan. III, 12); Esth. R. to II, 5 לפי שייחד … נקרא י׳ לומר י׳ יחירי because he professed the unity of God, he was called Y’hudi, meaning to say, a Y’hudi, a believer in One God. Ex. R. s. 42 אתה סבור … או י׳ או צלוב thou thinkest that calling Israel ‘persistent’ is meant for blame; it is meant for their praise, either a Jew or hanged. Meg. l. c. מאכל י׳ Jewish food (in accordance with the Jewish dietary laws); a. e.—[Pes. 113ᵇ י׳, read with Mss. a. early ed. מי; Yeb. 63ᵃ כל י׳, read אדם.]—Pl. יְהוּדִים. Esth. R. to III, 9. Ib. to VIII, 8 שונאי הי׳ the enemies of the Jews. Ib. 15 מלך … על הי׳ Mardecai was made king of the Jews; a. fr.—Fem. יְהוּדִיָּה, יְהוּדִית. Meg. l. c. (v. Rabb. D. S. a. l. note 7); Yalk. Esth. 1052 (ref. to I Chr. IV, 18) אמאי קרי לה י׳ why is she (Bithya, the daughter of Pharaoh) called Y’hudiyah (a Jewess)?—Esth. R. to III, I אם אסתר י׳ היא וכ׳ if Esther is a Jewess &c., opp. גויה.—Keth. VII, 6 (72ᵃ, sq.) דת י׳, v. דַּת.