Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A female given name: "Judith" is a feminine personal name of Hebrew origin, meaning "woman from Judea" or "Jewish woman."
   • A Jewish heroine: In the Apocrypha (deuterocanonical books of the Bible), Judith is a brave widow who saves her city by beheading the Assyrian general Holofernes.
   • A book of the Apocrypha: "Judith" is also the title of the book that recounts this story.

Examples of Usage

• Proper noun (Name):
  • Judith is coming to the meeting this afternoon.
  • I would like you to meet my colleague, Judith.
• Proper noun (Biblical Figure/Book):
  • The story of Judith is found in the Old Testament Apocrypha.
  • The Book of Judith is considered canonical in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions.

Advanced Usage

• "A Judith-like act": An act of great bravery and cunning, especially by a woman, to save her people or community.
  • Her decisive intervention in the crisis was a Judith-like act of courage.

Variants and Related Words

• Judy, Jude, Jodie: Common diminutives or variants of the name Judith.
• Judithic (adj): Pertaining to the Biblical figure Judith or her story (a rare, scholarly term).
  • The painting depicts a Judithic scene.

Synonyms

• Heroine: A woman admired for her courage and noble qualities.
• Savior: A person who saves someone or something from danger.

Notes on Meaning

• The primary modern use of "Judith" is as a personal name.
• The Biblical reference, while central to the name's history, is a specific context. When used in general language, it most commonly refers to a person bearing that name. The story itself is specifically referenced as "the story of Judith" or "the Book of Judith."

Noun

1. an Apocryphal book telling how Judith saved her people
2. Jewish heroine in one of the books of the Apocrypha; she saved her people by decapitating the Assyrian general Holofernes