Meaning & use
mazel
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Meanings
noununcountableinformal
Good luck or good fortune, especially in a fixed phrase of congratulation.
Grammar: Uncountable, so it takes no plural and no article: say mazel tov, not a mazel or mazels.
Patterns
- mazel tov
Everyone shouted "Mazel tov!" when the couple announced their engagement.
She raised her glass and called out "mazel tov" to the whole family.
noununcountableinformalreligion
A lucky break or piece of good fortune in a person's life.
Grammar: Used in Jewish English; it names luck as a quality, so it stays uncountable.
Patterns
- have mazel
- a bit of mazel
He says he had mazel when the job came along just after he lost the other one.
With a little mazel, the shop will do well in its first year.
Common combinations
- mazel tov
- "Mazel tov!" the guests called as the bride walked in.
- a bit of mazel
- Getting that apartment was a bit of mazel.
- wish someone mazel
- His grandmother wished him mazel before the exam.
- have mazel
- You have to have mazel to find a parking space here.
Synonyms and how they differ
- luck
- The everyday English word for good or bad fortune; mazel is used mainly in Jewish English and carries a warm, festive tone.
- fortune
- More formal than mazel and can mean wealth as well as luck.
- blessing
- Suggests something good given to you, often by God; mazel is about chance rather than a gift.
Opposites
Word family
- mazel tov phrase
- A congratulatory phrase used at happy events such as weddings and graduations.
Commonly confused: mazel or muzzle? mazel or Mazel?
mazel vs muzzle
Sounds a little similar but means the nose and mouth of an animal or a cover for them; it has nothing to do with luck.
mazel vs Mazel
Capitalized, it can appear as a surname or place name in English; the common word meaning luck is written lowercase.
Practice
Which sentence uses "mazel" correctly?
Choose one answer.
"Mazel tov" is the fixed congratulatory phrase, so option 2 fits. Option 1 fails because mazel is uncountable and cannot take "a"; option 3 invents a verb, and option 4 invents a plural.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “mazel”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.