rabbiyoudaoicibaDictYouDict[rabbi 词源字典]
rabbi: [14] Hebrew rabbī meant ‘my master’. It was a compound formed from rabh ‘great one’ and the pronoun suffix -ī ‘my’. English originally acquired the word, via Latin, at the end of the Old English period, but only in biblical contexts, as a term of address equivalent to English master (as in ‘Jesus … saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, Master), where dwellest thou?’ John 1:38). Not until the 14th century did it begin to be used as an ordinary noun, meaning ‘Jewish spiritual leader’.
[rabbi etymology, rabbi origin, 英语词源]
rabbi (n.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
"Jewish doctor of religious law," late 15c. (in Old English in biblical context only; in Middle English also as a title prefixed to personal names), from Late Latin rabbi, from Greek rhabbi, from Mishnaic Hebrew rabbi "my master," from rabh "master, great one," title of respect for Jewish doctors of law + -i, first person singular pronominal suffix. From Semitic root r-b-b "to be great or numerous" (compare robh "multitude;" Aramaic rabh "great; chief, master, teacher;" Arabic rabba "was great," rabb "master").