Mazel
/ˈmɑːzəl/noun
A Yiddish word meaning luck or good fortune, especially in the expression “mazel tov.”
Did you know?In biblical and rabbinic Hebrew, mazal could refer to a constellation or celestial influence believed to shape a person’s fate.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Near East
Akkadian
manzāzu / mazzaltu
“Position, station, or celestial position; a proposed source connected with the later Hebrew term”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
מַזָּל (mazzāl)
“A constellation or celestial configuration associated with fortune”
Rabbinic Period
Hebrew/Aramaic
מַזָּל (mazzal)
“Astrological influence, luck, or destiny”
Medieval Period
Judeo-German
מזל (mazel)
“Luck or good fortune in Jewish vernacular usage”
18th–19th Century
Yiddish/English
mazel
“A Yiddish loanword meaning luck, popularized in English through “mazel tov””
Modern English
English
mazel
“Luck or congratulations, usually appearing in the phrase “mazel tov””