Definition

A method used in Kabbalah to interpret Hebrew words by assigning numerical values to the letters and calculating the total value of the words.

Example

In gematria, the word 'chai' has a numerical value of 18, which is considered significant in Jewish tradition.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of gematria?

Yeah, I think it's that method related to Hebrew letters and numbers, right?

Exactly! It's fascinating how they interpret words through numbers with gematria.

It really is; I love how deep and meaningful it can be.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Gematria is derived from the Greek word "geōmetria" (meaning measurement of the earth), which is composed of "geo-" (meaning earth) and "metria" (meaning measurement). In the context of gematria, it refers to a system of assigning numerical values to letters, often used in Hebrew texts to derive meanings from words based on their numerical values.

Memory Tip

Think of 'measuring the earth' ('geo-' means earth and 'metria' means measurement) to remember that gematria involves assigning numerical values to letters.

Visually Confused Words