Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A flat, usually brittle piece of unleavened bread, eaten especially during Passover.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A cake of unleavened bread eaten by the Jews at the feast of the Passover.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun uncountable Thin, unleavened bread.
  • noun countable A piece of the above bread.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun brittle flat bread eaten at Passover

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Yiddish matse, from Hebrew maṣṣâ; see mṣ́ṣ́ in Semitic roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Hebrew מַצָּה ("matza")

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Examples

  • Julio Cortez/Associated Press Newark Mayor Cory Booker ate a piece of a large matzo baked during the grand opening of the new headquarters for Manischewitz, the kosher foods company, Tuesday in Newark, N.J. The company said the matzo was the world's largest.

    New York Photos of the Day: June 14 2011

  • In the Soviet Union, where all religion was practically prohibited and anti-Semitism was sanctioned by the state, dyeing eggs was only slightly less daring than buying matzo, which is why, I suspect, my nonconformist mother rebelliously did both.

    Peace Meals Anna Badkhen 2010

  • In the Soviet Union, where all religion was practically prohibited and anti-Semitism was sanctioned by the state, dyeing eggs was only slightly less daring than buying matzo, which is why, I suspect, my nonconformist mother rebelliously did both.

    Peace Meals Anna Badkhen 2010

  • Instead, during the eight days of Passover, Jewish people eat matzo, which is what their ancestors ate during their hurried escape through the desert from Egypt.

    Archive 2006-04-01 2006

  • Instead, during the eight days of Passover, Jewish people eat matzo, which is what their ancestors ate during their hurried escape through the desert from Egypt.

    Ye Olde King's Head - Nowhere Near Kosher 2006

  • Perhaps one of the most unique tributes to that time is the practice of only eating unleavened bread, called matzo, for all eight days.

    WCAX - Local News 2010

  • Unleavened bread, called matzo, became a primary symbol of the Passover holiday, which marks the birth of Jews as a people.

    chicagotribune.com - News 2010

  • Frances 'does offer fried matzo, which is one of those haymish (homemade) offerings that attests to roots that go deeper than might be suggested by the current business model.

    Chicago Reader David Hammond 2010

  • On the eve of Passover Chabad members burn their bread and on Passover begin eating matzo, which is dough that wasn't given the chance to rise, symbolizing humility and respectfulness.

    Ventura County Star Stories 2010

  • The meal does not end until every person has had a piece of matzo, which is made of unleavened flour.

    The Frederick News-Post : Local News Karen Gardner 2010

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  • Made famous in the song 'Matzo Man'.

    December 5, 2023