ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈgramətən, -əd.ən, -ət ə n also -əˌtän noun
( plural tetragramma·ta -mətə, -əd.ə sometimes -əˌtä or -əˌtȧ)
Usage: often capitalized
Etymology: Middle English Tetragramaton, from Greek tetragrammaton, from neuter of tetragrammatos having four letters, from tetra- + grammat-, gramma letter — more at gram
: the Hebrew word of the four letters constituting a divine proper name which the Jews out of reverence or for fear of desecration ceased to pronounce about three centuries B.C. and for which they substituted Adonai or Elohim and being variously transliterated without indication of the vocalization usually by YHWH, YHVH, JHVH, JHWH, or IHVH and with vowels usually by Jehovah, Yahweh, Jahveh, Jahweh, Yahveh, Jahve, Jahwe, Yahvè, or Yahwe — compare blasphemy