adj
Uncommon
kosher
KOH-shuh
Kosher (adj) means Prepared and permitted according to Jewish dietary law, especially describing food. Example: “The deli only serves kosher meat.”
adj
1
Prepared and permitted according to Jewish dietary law, especially describing food.
"The deli only serves kosher meat."
"She keeps a kosher kitchen with separate dishes for meat and dairy."
2
(informal) Proper, legitimate, or acceptable by the usual standards.
"Something about the deal didn't seem kosher to him."
"Is it kosher to park here overnight?"
verb
1
To prepare food, especially meat, so that it meets Jewish dietary requirements.
"The butcher koshered the chicken before selling it."
How to use kosher
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFollowing Jewish food rules — and, more loosely in everyday speech, anything that seems legitimate or above board.
Common mistake
The casual sense ("is that kosher?" meaning "is that okay?") has nothing to do with religious law but is derived from it.
Common pairings
kosher food
keep kosher
not quite kosher
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- koshers
- Past tense
- koshered
- Comparative
- more kosher
- Superlative
- most kosher
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The deli only serves _____ meat.
Etymology
From Yiddish כּשר (kosher), from Hebrew כָּשֵׁר (kasher), meaning "fit" or "proper".
Synonyms
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cosher
Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “kosher” mean?
The word “kosher” means prepared and permitted according to Jewish dietary law, especially describing food. In plain terms, following Jewish food rules — and, more loosely in everyday speech, anything that seems legitimate or above board.
How do you pronounce “kosher”?
“Kosher” is pronounced KOH-shuh (/ˈkoʊʃɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “kosher” in a sentence?
Here is “kosher” used in a sentence: “The deli only serves kosher meat.”
What is the opposite of “kosher”?
The opposite of “kosher” — its antonyms — are nonkosher, possul, treyf and unkosher.
What part of speech is “kosher”?
Depending on how it is used, “kosher” can be an adjective and a verb.
Where does the word “kosher” come from?
The word “kosher” comes from Hebrew. From Yiddish כּשר (kosher), from Hebrew כָּשֵׁר (kasher), meaning "fit" or "proper".
Is “kosher” a common word?
“Kosher” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “kosher” have?
“Kosher” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: prepared and permitted according to Jewish dietary law, especially describing food.
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