What is "wandering jew"

Jew \Jew\, n. [OF. Juis, pl., F. Juif, L. Judaeus, Gr. ?, fr. ? the country of the Jews, Judea, fr. Heb. Y[e^]h[=u]d[=a]h Judah, son of Jacob. Cf. Judaic.]

1. Originally, one belonging to the tribe or kingdom of Judah; after the return from the Babylonish captivity, any member of the new state; a Hebrew; an Israelite.

2. An adherent of Judaism.

   Jew's frankincense, gum styrax, or benzoin.

   Jew's mallow (Bot.), an annual herb ( Corchorus olitorius) cultivated in Syria and Egypt as a pot herb, and in India for its fiber.

   Jew's pitch, asphaltum; bitumen.

   The Wandering Jew, an imaginary personage, who, for his cruelty to Christ during his passion, is doomed to wander on the earth till Christ's second coming.

   Wandering Jew, any of several house plants of the genera Zebrina and Tradescantia having white-striped leaves, especially the creeping plants Zebrina pendula and Tradescantia fluminensis.

Wandering \Wan"der*ing\, a. & n. from Wander, v.

Wandering albatross (Zo["o]l.), the great white albatross. See Illust. of Albatross.

Wandering cell (Physiol.), an animal cell which possesses the power of spontaneous movement, as one of the white corpuscles of the blood.

Wandering Jew (Bot.), any one of several creeping species of Tradescantia, which have alternate, pointed leaves, and a soft, herbaceous stem which roots freely at the joints. They are commonly cultivated in hanging baskets, window boxes, etc.

Wandering kidney (Med.), a morbid condition in which one kidney, or, rarely, both kidneys, can be moved in certain directions; -- called also floating kidney, movable kidney.

Wandering liver (Med.), a morbid condition of the liver, similar to wandering kidney.

Wandering mouse (Zo["o]l.), the whitefooted, or deer, mouse. See Illust. of Mouse.

Wandering spider (Zo["o]l.), any one of a tribe of spiders that wander about in search of their prey.

n. One of three species of spiderwort plants, (taxlink Tradescantia pallida species noshow=1), (taxlink Tradescantia fluminensis species noshow=1), and ''Tradescantia zebrina''.

The Wandering Jew is a mythical eternal whose legend began to spread in Europe in the 13th century.

The original legend concerns a Jew who taunted Jesus on the way to the Crucifixion and was then cursed to walk the earth until the Second Coming. The exact nature of the wanderer's indiscretion varies in different versions of the tale, as do aspects of his character; sometimes he is said to be a shoemaker or other tradesman, while sometimes he is the doorman at Pontius Pilate's estate.

The Wandering Jew is a character from Christian legend.

Wandering Jew can also refer to: