A storage place or repository, especially in a Jewish synagogue or home, where sacred or worn-out religious texts and objects are kept to await proper burial or disposal.
From Hebrew 'genizah' meaning hiding place or storage. The term comes from Jewish practice of respectfully storing worn religious documents rather than destroying them, as it's forbidden to discard texts containing God's name.
The most famous genizah is the Cairo Genizah, discovered in the 1800s—it contained thousands of medieval Jewish documents that told us incredible things about history, language, and daily life that would otherwise be lost forever!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.