joseph
joseph Lexical Profile
joseph Game Scores & Validity
• noun
(capitalized) In the Hebrew Bible, a son of Jacob and Rachel who was sold into slavery in Egypt by his jealous brothers and rose to become chief minister to Pharaoh; in the New Testament, the carpenter of Nazareth who was the husband of the Virgin Mary.
"The stained-glass window depicted Joseph standing beside Mary at the nativity."
(historical) A long, buttoned riding coat with a small cape, worn primarily by women in the 18th century.
"The museum's costume collection included an eighteenth-century woolen joseph worn by women while traveling on horseback."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Late Latin Ioseph, from Ancient Greek Ioseph, ultimately from Hebrew Yosef, meaning 'he shall add' or 'may the Lord add.' The historical garment sense alludes to the biblical Joseph's coat of many colors.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.