The Yiddish word nosh (נאש) is comparable to the English word “snack.” Unlike “snack,” which can refer to any food eaten between meals (even carrot sticks), nosh refers to food that is particularly tasty (think: corn chips and cookies), somewhere between an ordinary snack and a treat.

Like “snack,” nosh functions both as a noun and a verb. You can thus nosh through an entire bag of potato chips with your friend, and you can also “chap (catch) a nosh” with them.

Someone with a propensity for noshing can be referred to as a nosher (when speaking Yiddish, you’d say noshern or nosherke for a female).

Sometimes the word is used as a euphemism for stealing or pickpocketing. On the flip side, it can be used positively to refer to learning from someone.

And since noshing is a uniquely Jewish activity, it is imperative that it be done in the Jewish way. So check that the food is kosher, as outlined here, and make sure to say the right blessings before and after eating.

Happy noshing!