/bahr mits"veuh / or, Ashk. Heb. /bahrdd/ ; Seph. Heb. /bahrdd' meets vah"/ , ( often caps. ) Judaism.
1. a solemn ceremony held in the synagogue, usually on Saturday morning, to admit as an adult member of the Jewish community a Jewish boy 13 years old who has successfully completed a prescribed course of study in Judaism.
2. the boy participating in this ceremony.
3. to administer the ceremony of bar mitzvah to: Our son was bar mitzvahed at the family synagogue. Cf. bat mitzvah .
Also, bar mizvah .
[ 1860-65; bar son + Heb miswah divine law, commandment ]