Satmar

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A Hasidic Jewish sect originating in the Hungarian town of Szatmárnémeti, known for its strict religious practices and opposition to Zionism; the community adhering to its customs and teachings; the Yiddish language term for members of this group
2. Refers to a religious group within Hasidic Judaism established in Eastern Europe with a focus on traditional observance and anti-Zionist views; individuals belonging to this group who follow its rituals; the cultural and religious identity tied to this sect
3. A distinct ultra-Orthodox Jewish faction named after a historical town in Hungary, noted for its conservative religious ideology and rejection of modern Israeli statehood; devotees and adherents of its doctrines; the designation used for this community in their vernacular language

Etymology: The name comes from a town, not a founder's surname. Satmar is the Yiddish form of Szatmár, the Hungarian name for the city now called Satu Mare, in northwestern Romania. The Hasidic sect took its name from that place, and the Yiddish spelling carries the town's Hungarian name into English-speaking communities. Satu Mare is a doublet of the name, meaning that the same place-name survives in two forms: the Hungarian Szatmár, and the Romanian Satu Mare, which translates roughly as "great village." The Yiddish form is an older, Hungarian-based version of the name, which is why it looks less like the modern Romanian one.