cheder means an elementary school for Jewish children, teaching basic Judaism and Hebrew. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 86 out of 100.
cheder is pronounced /ˈxɛdəɹ/.
Why “cheder” is a great word
CHEDER — [Noun] An elementary school where Jewish children are taught the fundamentals of Hebrew, prayer, and religious scripture. From Yiddish חדר (kheyder), from Hebrew חֶדֶר (khéder, “room”). Unlike a yeshiva, which denotes an academy for advanced Talmudic study, or a Sunday school, which implies weekly, supplementary instruction, the cheder is the foundational, daily immersion for the very young. It is the earnest chorus of young voices chanting the aleph-bet, the scent of chalk dust and old books, and the worn wood of a bench that holds generations of students—the humble chamber where a world of memory and law is first entered, and continuity is assured.
Etymology
From Yiddish חדר (kheyder), from Hebrew חֶדֶר (khéder, “room”).
noun
- An elementary school for Jewish children, teaching basic Judaism and Hebrew.“A businessman in New York who happened to be in the Midlands at the time was so impressed by Asher's methods that he was funding him to set up a string of chederim – Sunday schools for Jews – all over the United States.”