shatnez means cloth containing both wool and linen (linsey-woolsey), which Jewish law prohibits wearing. It carries an Arena rating of 1451, earned across 2 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, shatnez ranks #922 of 13,226 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #1,707 of 13,226 for Scariest Words, #1,796 of 13,226 for Most Vivid Words, #3,305 of 13,226 for Most Exacting Words.
Why “shatnez” is a great word
A fabric woven from both wool and linen, the wearing of which is prohibited by biblical statute. Borrowed from Hebrew שַׁעַטְנֵז (shatnéz), of obscure further origin; possibly related to a root meaning 'mixture'. Unlike "linsey-woolsey," a coarse, secular blend, or "kil'ayim," the broader prohibition against diverse kinds, shatnez is a precise, ritual transgression woven into a garment's very threads. It is the unseen tension between the sheep's warm fleece and the flax's cool stalk, the careful separation by a trained examiner, the tangible paradox of two created substances made illicit by their union—a material reminder that holiness often resides in separation.
Etymology
Borrowed from Hebrew שַׁעַטְנֵז (shatnéz), of obscure further origin.
noun
- Cloth containing both wool and linen (linsey-woolsey), which Jewish law prohibits wearing.
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- tzitzit 82% match — The knotted fringes of the tallit. vs shatnez →
- tekhelet 82% match — biblical blue vs shatnez →
- tzniut 80% match — Standards of modesty in dress and conduct, especially between the sexes. vs shatnez →
- tichel 80% match — A headscarf often worn by married orthodox Jewish women in compliance with the code of modesty known as tzniut, though individuals from other sects of Judaism also wear them depending on personal choice. vs shatnez →
- tachrich 80% match — A traditional simple white burial furnishings, usually made from 100% pure linen, in which the bodies of deceased Jews are dressed for interment after undergoing a taharah (ritual purification). vs shatnez →
- negiah 80% match — Physical contact between the sexes outside of marriage or familial relations. vs shatnez →
- sheitel 79% match — A wig worn by married Orthodox Jewish women. vs shatnez →
- melakhah 79% match — Any of the types of work forbidden on Shabbat. vs shatnez →