jacob Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun French biochemist who (with Jacques Monod) studied regulatory processes in cells (born in 1920)
    Francois Jacob.
  2. noun (Old Testament) son of Isaac; brother of Esau; father of the twelve patriarchs of Israel; Jacob wrestled with God and forced God to bless him, so God gave Jacob the new name of Israel (meaning `one who has been strong against God')

WordNet

Ja"cob noun
Etymology
Cf. F. Jacob. See 2d Jack.
Definitions
  1. A Hebrew patriarch (son of Isaac, and ancestor of the Jews), who in a vision saw a ladder reaching up to heaven (Gen. xxviii. 12); -- also called Israel.
    And Jacob said . . . with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. Gen. xxxii. 9, 10.
    Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel. Gen. xxxii. 28.

Webster 1913