kosher

Where does the word "kosher" come from? It comes from Hebrew kasher, passing through Yiddish before entering English (1800s-1900s).

Kosher’s story begins in Hebrew: kasher meant “fit, proper.” Meaning "fit" or "proper", according to Jewish dietary law. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Yiddish as kosher. Applied to food and practices meeting religious requirements. It reached English by 1800s-1900s as kosher. Hebrew 'kasher', fit, proper; slang 'kosher' meaning legitimate dates from the 1920s. Today, kosher means food prepared in accordance with Jewish dietary law; informally, legitimate or proper.

1. Stage 1 · Hebrew · ancient kasher "fit, proper", meaning "fit" or "proper", according to Jewish dietary law.
2. Stage 2 · Yiddish · medieval kosher "ritually fit food", applied to food and practices meeting religious requirements.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1800s-1900s kosher "food prepared according to Jewish dietary law", Hebrew 'kasher', fit, proper; slang 'kosher' meaning legitimate dates from the 1920s.