# רבעצין



## Ali Smith

A student at a yeshiva told the principal, "הראש ישיבה, מזל טוב."
He replied, "נו, נו... אם הרבעצין תשאל, תגידו לה שאני בן 34, 35 מקסימום."

What does רבעצין mean and how is it pronounced? I might add that he was a very old man.


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## slus

It's Yiddish, not Hebrew. It means the Rabbi's wife.


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## Ali Smith

Thanks! Do you know of a dictionary where I can find such words? Also, how do you pronounce it?


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## Drink

Ali Smith said:


> Thanks! Do you know of a dictionary where I can find such words? Also, how do you pronounce it?



You can try to look in a Yiddish dictionary.

It's pronounced Rebbetzin, with stress on the first syllable.

Note that the Hebrew equivalent is the רבנית.


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## Ali Smith

Thanks! So, does the sentence mean "If the rabbi's wife asks, tell her I'm 34 or 35 years old at most.?


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## slus

The correct spelling is רעבעצין. 
And yes. This is what is means.


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## Ali Smith

תודה חמה!


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## Drink

slus said:


> The correct spelling is רעבעצין.
> And yes. This is what is means.



Actually I think it's רביצין. Because Yiddish words that come from Hebrew are spelled as they are in Hebrew, so the word Rebbe is spelled רבי. Then when you attach the suffix only the suffix is spelled phonetically, so you get רביצין.


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## Abaye

רביצין, רעביצין, רעבעצין, רבעצין are all good, it depends on place, time, pronunciation and preferences.


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