kosher

1 of 3

adjective

ko·​sher ˈkō-shər How to pronounce kosher (audio)
Synonyms of koshernext
1
a
: sanctioned by Jewish law
especially : ritually fit for use
kosher meat
b
: selling or serving food ritually fit according to Jewish law
a kosher restaurant
2
: being proper, acceptable, or satisfactory
is the deal kosher?

kosher

2 of 3

verb

koshered; koshering ˈkō-sh(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce kosher (audio)

transitive verb

: to make kosher

kosher

3 of 3

noun

: the observance of kosher practices
keep kosher

Examples of kosher in a Sentence

Adjective Something about this deal is just not kosher.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt and season with freshly ground pepper. — Beverly Kim, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 There's kosher salt, a coarse salt that comes in grains and flakes – many without additives. — Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Chicken thighs are brined overnight for maximum juiciness, wet-battered and fried golden and crisp before being seasoned with the restaurant’s signature blend of kosher salt, gochugaru (Korean chile flakes) and roasted, crushed sesame seeds. — Warren Rojas, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026 Add the corn, kosher salt, and sugar, and spread the corn in a single layer, and cook, without stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the kernels are slightly blistered on the bottom and cooked through on top. — ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for kosher

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Verb, and Noun

Yiddish, from Hebrew kāshēr fit, proper

First Known Use

Adjective

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1871, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1886, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kosher was in 1851

Phrases Containing kosher

Rhymes for kosher

See All Rhymes for kosher

Browse Nearby Words

koshare
kosher
kosher hide
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kosher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kosher. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

kosher

adjective
ko·​sher
ˈkō-shər
1
a
: accepted by Jewish law
especially : ritually fit for use
kosher meat
b
: selling or serving food ritually fit according to Jewish law
a kosher restaurant
2
: proper sense 4
made sure the deal was kosher

More from Merriam-Webster on kosher

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for kosher

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kosher

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All