mazel tov

or ma·zal tov

[ mah-zuhl tawv, tawf, tohv ]

noun

1. an expression of congratulations and best wishes, used chiefly by Jews:

   A chorus of mazel tovs greeted the newlyweds as they circulated from table to table.

interjection

1. Congratulations!; Best wishes!:

   “Mazel tov,” Grandpa said as he thrust a five-dollar bill into my pocket. “I'm so proud of you!”

Word History and Origins

Origin of mazel tov¹

First recorded in 1860–65; from Yiddish mazltov, from Hebrew mazzāl tōv, literally, “good luck”; mazzāl “constellation, destiny, luck,” ultimately from Akkadian manzaltu, mazzaztum “location of a star, position”; tōv “good,” cognate with Arabic ṭayyib; schlimazel ( def )

Example Sentences

Yes, the first line uttered by a black female cast regular since 2007 was “Mazel tov.”

From The Daily Beast

Author Gary Shteyngart was even congratulatory: “Mazel Tov, Random Penguin!”

From The Daily Beast

Two years later, in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Andrews shouted “Mazel tov!”

From The Daily Beast

To all of that that I say Mazel Tov, and John, Charlie, and Julian, have a glass of Manischewitz Concord Grape on me.

From The Daily Beast