Amish

American  

[ah-mish, am-ish] / ˈɑ mɪʃ, ˈæm ɪʃ /

adjective

1. of or relating to any of the strict Mennonite groups, chiefly in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Canada, descended from the followers of Jakob Ammann, a Swiss Mennonite bishop of the 17th century.

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noun

1. the Amish people.

Amish British  

/ ˈɑːmɪʃ, ˈæ- /

adjective

1. of or relating to a US and Canadian Mennonite sect that traces its origin to Jakob Amman

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noun

1. the Amish people

Amish Cultural  

1. A group of Protestants who broke away from the Mennonites in the seventeenth century. The Amish live in close communities, farm for a living, and do without many modern conveniences, such as telephones, automobiles, and tractor-drawn plows.

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Discover More

Some of the Pennsylvania Dutch are Amish.

Etymology

Origin of Amish

1835–45, < German amisch, after Jakob Ammann; see -ish ¹

Compare meaning

How does amish compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Amish vs. Mennonite

Example Sentences

Three Amish schools refused to comply with the law, prompting New York to impose fines totaling $118,000.

From Slate • Dec. 9, 2025

Amish travelers have been using this route for decades, one of the men told me, on their way to and from doctors in Tijuana.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025

The Amish typically live in remote communities and refuse to adopt many features of modern life, which can include a suspicion of modern pharmaceuticals.

From BBC • Sep. 23, 2025

The research screened 1,899 children across two large Amish communities in Ohio and Indiana.

From BBC • Sep. 23, 2025

It was true that some of the Amish, being slow to change their ways, used to plow with mules or oxen.

From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien