goy

Meaning

A non-Jew, a gentile.

Synonyms

gentile

non-Jew

Christian

christian

Translations

goy

goy

gentil

goy

Goi

goï

Goy

goy

pagão

gói

gentil

no judío

gentil

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɡɔɪ/

Etymology

Borrowed from Yiddish גוי (goy, “gentile”), from Hebrew גּוֹי (goi, “nation”).
Compare Exodus he:T:6: מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים וְגֹוי קָדֹושׁ (mamleḵeṯ kohănīm wəḡōy qāḏōš, “ […] a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”) (referring to the Jewish people). The word goy does not technically refer to non-Jews, but rather to a nation per se; the Jews are said to constitute a goy. But through common usage – namely referring to "the [other non-Jewish] nations" – the word came to colloquially refer to non-Jews.