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

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”

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

Because either McCluskie is one heck of a con man who rolled both Becerra and Williamson, making both believe what was happening was kosher with entirely different tales, or someone isn’t being entirely honest.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

Like many Jews, Wagner prepares for Shabbat by going to buy a challah, a braided bread, from a kosher bakery.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

My mother, who was adept at Yiddish, didn’t keep kosher, but no ham or other pork products ever appeared in her refrigerator or on her well-plenished shelves.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

King Solomon kosher wine failed to take off.

From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026

“I actually don’t think it would be possible to find kosher food in Chokecherry.”

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

Related Words

• genuine
• real
• true
• unadulterated