a. [ From Sephardim, a name applied to the Spanish Jews, fr. Sephard, name of a place where Jews were held in captivity (Ob. 20). ] Of, pertaining to, or designating, the Jews (the Sephardim, also called Spanish or Portuguese Jews) descended from Jewish families driven from Spain by the Inquisition. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. pl. [ NHeb.; orig. uncert. ] Jews who are descendants of the former Jews of Spain and Portugal. They are as a rule darker than the northern Jews, and have more delicate features. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]