Marrano

Marrano

See also: marrano

English

Etymology

From Spanish marrano, of disputed origin. Perhaps a transferred use of marrano (“hog”), but many sources regard them as distinct words.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /məˈɹɑːnəʊ/

Noun

Marrano (plural Marranos)

1. (historical) Any of the Sephardi Jews who stayed in Iberia during the Spanish Inquisition, and continued to practice Judaism in secret.
   • 1999, Karen Armstrong, The Case for God, Vintage 2010, p. 161:

     In the Portuguese universities, the Marranos had studied logic, physics, medicine and mathematics, but they had no expertise in the more intuitive disciplines of Jewish practice.

Derived terms

• Marranic
• Marranism

Translations

Iberian Jew who practised Judaism in secret

French: marrane (fr) m Hebrew: אָנוּס‎ (anus) Portuguese: marrano (pt) m Spanish: (archaic, no longer associated with Jews) marrano (es) m