minyan: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
lowformal, religious, academic
Quick answer
What does “minyan” mean?
In Judaism, the quorum of ten Jewish adults (traditionally ten men) required for certain religious obligations, particularly public prayer.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
In Judaism, the quorum of ten Jewish adults (traditionally ten men) required for certain religious obligations, particularly public prayer.
The term refers specifically to the group itself, the ritual requirement, and by extension, the communal gathering that fulfills this requirement. It represents the minimum threshold for communal religious legitimacy in many Jewish contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Usage is consistent across English-speaking Jewish communities, though the demographic composition of who qualifies for the minyan may vary between denominations (e.g., Reform, Conservative, Orthodox) which have different geographic distributions.
Connotations
Carries strong connotations of religious obligation, community, and Jewish law (halakha).
Frequency
Exclusively used within Jewish religious, cultural, and academic contexts. Virtually unknown in general secular discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “minyan” in a Sentence
There is/are [NUMBER] for the minyan.We need [NUMBER] more to form a minyan.The service cannot begin without a minyan.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “minyan” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not applicable as a verb.
American English
- Not applicable as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not applicable as an adjective.
American English
- Not applicable as an adjective.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in religious studies, theology, and anthropology texts discussing Jewish ritual practice.
Everyday
Used only within active Jewish communities, particularly in relation to synagogue attendance for prayer services.
Technical
A precise halakhic (Jewish legal) term with specific requirements regarding who is counted, when it is needed, and for which prayers.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “minyan”
- Using it as a plural (e.g., 'two minyans' is correct, but often mistakenly avoided).
- Pronouncing it /ˈmaɪnən/.
- Using it to refer to any small group, outside of its specific religious context.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In Orthodox Judaism, traditionally no. In Conservative, Reform, and other non-Orthodox movements, yes, women are counted as full members of the minyan.
Key prayers that require a minyan include the recitation of the Kaddish (mourner's prayer), the repetition of the Amidah with its Kedushah section, and the public reading from the Torah and the Prophets (Haftarah).
Rarely. It is occasionally used metaphorically in Jewish discourse to mean any essential quorum or core group needed for a community action, but its primary meaning is liturgical.
Yes, the standard English plural is 'minyans'. The Hebrew plural is 'minyanim', which is also frequently used in English within Jewish contexts.
In Judaism, the quorum of ten Jewish adults (traditionally ten men) required for certain religious obligations, particularly public prayer.
Minyan is usually formal, religious, academic in register.
Minyan: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɪnjæn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɪnjən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He's the tenth man for the minyan.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'mini' (small) and 'yan' sounding like 'yawn'. A MINi group that stops you from YAWNing during prayer because now it's officially communal.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNITY IS A STRUCTURE (the minyan is the foundational quorum, the building block for public worship). THRESHOLD IS A GATEWAY (achieving a minyan opens the gateway to full communal prayer).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of a minyan?