kosher

American  

[koh-sher] / ˈkoʊ ʃər /

adjective

1. Judaism.

   1. fit or allowed to be eaten or used, according to the dietary or ceremonial laws.

      kosher meat; kosher dishes; a kosher Torah scroll.

   2. adhering to the laws governing such fitness.

      a kosher restaurant.

2. Informal.

   1. proper; legitimate.

   2. genuine; authentic.

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noun

1. kosher food.

   Where can I eat kosher in Mexico City?

verb (used with object)

1. to make kosher.

   to kosher meat by salting.

idioms

1. keep kosher, to adhere to the dietary laws of Judaism.

kosher British  

/ ˈkəʊʃə /

adjective

1. Judaism conforming to religious law; fit for use: esp, (of food) prepared in accordance with the dietary laws See also kasher kashruth

2. informal

   1. genuine or authentic

   2. legitimate or proper

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kosher ¹ Cultural  

1. Food that is permitted according to a set of dietary restrictions found in the Old Testament. For many Jews (see also Jews), foods that are not kosher cannot be eaten. The term can also be used colloquially to mean anything acceptable: “I don't think it's kosher to yell at your chess opponent when he is thinking about his next move.”

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kosher ² Cultural  

1. The descriptive term in Judaism for food and other objects that are clean according to its laws. These laws are contained in the Torah and forbid, for example, the eating of pork or shellfish, the mixing of dairy products and meat, and certain methods of slaughtering animals.

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Other Word Forms

• nonkosher
  adjective
• unkosher
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of kosher

First recorded in 1850–55 kosher for def. 1; 1885–90 kosher for def. 3; 1895–1900 kosher for def. 2; from Yiddish, from Ashkenazi pronunciation of Hebrew kāshēr “right, fit”

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Explanation

In Jewish law, food must be ritually cleaned and prepared in order to be kosher, or fit to eat. Today, the word can also describe anything that is proper or legitimate. Is it kosher to date your best friend's ex? Depends on who you ask. The word kosher, literally meaning "clean" or "pure," refers to food that has been ritually prepared or blessed so it can be eaten by religious Jews. It comes from the Hebrew word kasher, meaning "proper" or "lawful," and became common in English in the mid-19th century. It is usually used as an adjective, as in "kosher meat." In the mid-1920s, the word took on a more general meaning, used to refer to anything that was acceptable.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kosher

Mr. Parish says the word “Jewish” doesn’t imply kosher.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

It conducts inspections of establishments that claim to sell kosher food, ensuring those establishments are honest about the sourcing, labeling and handling of foods they represent as kosher.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Most Jewish Americans don’t keep kosher; even most who avoid pork and shellfish don’t go to the effort of maintaining separate dishes and utensils for meat and dairy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Both its kosher preparation—using oil instead of butter and chicken instead of pork—and its fixture as a workhorse dish speak to a rigidity and an adaptability that define Israeli cuisine and, more broadly, life there.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

It was treyf, not kosher for a Jew to eat.

From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride

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Related Words

• genuine
• real
• true
• unadulterated

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