1
: an Israelite prophet who according to the account in the book of Jonah resisted a divine call to preach repentance to the people of Nineveh, was swallowed and vomited by a great fish, and eventually carried out his mission
2
: a narrative book of canonical Jewish and Christian Scripture see Bible Table
3
: one believed to bring bad luck
Word History
Etymology
Hebrew Yōnāh
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of Jonah was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near Jonah
Cite this Entry
“Jonah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Jonah. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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More from Merriam-Webster on Jonah
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Jonah
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