What does matzoh mean?
Matzoh is a thin, crisp bread prepared without yeast or another leavening agent, traditionally from wheat flour and water. Its defining religious role occurs during Passover, when it is eaten in place of ordinary leavened bread. In Jewish tradition, the prohibition recalls the Israelites' urgent departure from Egypt, when they had little time to let their dough rise. Outside that setting, matzoh may be eaten with butter, cream cheese, eggs, or toppings, and it is also an important ingredient in dishes such as matzoh balls and matzoh brei. Although its preparation is simple, its cultural associations are deeply meaningful. The word is commonly spelled matzo or matzah, especially in North America, while matzoh remains readily understood. In ordinary conversation, the term normally refers specifically to the bread associated with Passover rather than to unleavened bread in general.
nounMatzoh is a thin, crisp bread made from flour and water without yeast or other leavening. It is traditionally eaten during Passover as a symbol of the Israelites' hurried departure from Egypt.
- A thin, crisp, unleavened bread traditionally eaten during Passover.
"The family served matzoh with butter and salt alongside the Passover meal."
"She spread cream cheese on a sheet of matzoh for breakfast."
"The recipe calls for crushed matzoh, chopped herbs, and olive oil."
Usually used for individual pieces or distinct pieces of the bread, since matzoh is also treated as a mass noun.
"The baker shaped the dough into several round matzohs."
During Passover, matzoh turns the Israelites' hurried escape from Egypt into something you can eat: a crisp reminder that haste can leave its own distinct mark.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does matzoh come from?
The word entered English during the 19th century through Yiddish, in which the bread was called matzo. Matzo comes from the Hebrew word maṣṣah, meaning “unleavened bread,” and English has adopted several spellings, including matzoh, matzo, and matzah, for the same food and its closely related forms.
Related word forms
How matzoh is actually used
Matzoh is most common in Jewish culinary and religious contexts. Matzo and matzah are widespread spelling variants, and the pronunciation varies somewhat by region and speaker.