nosh
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
noun
verb
Usage
What does nosh mean? Nosh means to eat, especially by snacking, as in When I work from home it’s hard not to nosh all day. It also means to munch on or snack on something, as in I’m getting a little hungry, so I’m just going to nosh on crackers to tide me over until dinner. It can also be a noun meaning a snack, as in Let’s have a little nosh before the movie.
Other Word Forms
- nosher noun
Etymology
Origin of nosh
1955–60; < Yiddish nashn; Middle High German naschen, Old High German nascōn to nibble, gnaw; cognate with Danish naske, Swedish snaska
Explanation
To nosh is to have a snack. You might nosh on a slice of cold pizza and a handful of chocolate chips after school. Many people like to nosh on popcorn while watching movies, and you could nosh on the cookies you baked for the school bake sale. You can also call a meal a nosh, especially if it's just a snack: "Let's have a nosh before we head back out on the hiking trail." Nosh comes from the Yiddish word -nashn, "nibble," and its earliest use in English, around 1917, was as a shortened form of nosh-house, or "restaurant."
Vocabulary lists containing nosh
More English Words Derived from Yiddish
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Kings of B'More
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
So make sure you’re washing your vegetables, and anything you leave outside that you might nosh on later.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 20, 2025
Members can nosh on Moroccan Mediterranean fare from Cafe Mogador in the “living room” of the space.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 19, 2025
Coming over to nosh on pizza and binge-watch trashy reality television doesn’t require a host gift, said Huffpost’s Brie Dyas.
From Salon • Dec. 23, 2023
Sometimes she grabs fruit to take with her and nosh on throughout the day.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 1, 2023
“Excellent nosh, Petunia. It’s normally just a fry-up for me of an evening, with twelve dogs to look after....”
From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
