Mazzal
/ˈmɑːzəl/noun
A variant transliteration of Hebrew mazzal, meaning luck, fortune, or a zodiacal constellation.
Did you know?In biblical and rabbinic Hebrew, mazzal could refer not only to fortune but also to a constellation or celestial influence, helping inspire the expression “mazel tov.”
Etymological Timeline
2nd Millennium BCE
Akkadian
manzāzu
“A station, position, or place—possibly an ancestral term connected with celestial stations.”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
מַזָּל (mazzāl)
“A constellation or celestial sign; later, fortune or destiny.”
Rabbinic Hebrew
Hebrew
מַזָּל (mazzāl)
“Luck, fortune, or astrological influence.”
Medieval Jewish communities
Yiddish/Hebrew
mazl
“Luck or good fortune.”
18th–19th Century
English
mazel
“Luck, especially in the expression “mazel tov.””
Modern English
English
mazzal
“A less common transliteration variant of mazel or mazal.”