chametz

C3H4A1M3E1T1Z10
/həˈmɛts//ˈhʌmɪts//ˈhɑːmɪts//x-/

noun

Food products made from leavened grain flour, which may not be consumed on Passover.

UncommonScrabble 23

Meanings

nounchametz (uncountable)

alternative chamets · alternative chometz · alternative hamets · alternative hametz

  1. JudaismuncountableFood products made from leavened grain flour, which may not be consumed on Passover.

    A chametz-free total environment is the Passover goal, so any place where chametz was or might have been used during the year is thoroughly checked and cleaned lest any chametz has been left behind.

    2011, Irving Greenberg, The Jewish Way: Living the Holidays, page 43
    1 more example

    The eating of chametz (leavened products) is explicitly prohibited on Passover (Exod. 12:19–20; 13:3), for the Israelites “took their dough before it was leavened” (Exod. 12:34) and left Egypt in great haste.

    2010, Ronald Eisenberg, What the Rabbis Said: 250 Topics from the Talmud, page 219
adjectivechametz (not comparable)

alternative chamets · alternative chometz · alternative hamets · alternative hametz

  1. Judaismnot comparableMade of chametz.

    It is permitted, therefore, to store and use all types of ointments, hand lotions, nail polish or medicated drops (for the ear or nose), etc., even if they contain an active chametz ingredient. […]

    1999, Rabbi Doniel Neustadt, “Medicines and Cosmetics for Pesach”, in Kashrut.com

    Synonyms: chametz-based · Antonyms: chametz-free, non-chametz

  2. Judaismnot comparableUsed with or to be used with chametz.
    1 more example

    One of the many preparations one must make for Pesach is kashering (a process to prepare a non-kosher vessel for kosher use or a chametz vessel for use on Pesach). […] All chametz utensils that will be used for Pesach must be thoroughly cleaned. […] Remove the filter covering the drain and put it away for Pesach with the chametz dishes. […] The pots may be chametz pots. […] Where needed, one can use a chametz microwave on Pesach by[…]

    2004, “The Quintessential Kashering Primer”, in Jewish Action, volume 64 (Spring 2004/5764), number 3

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveMade of chametz.

Origin

  1. Hebrewחָמֵץ
  2. Englishchametz

Borrowed from Hebrew חָמֵץ (khaméts).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch chamets
  • chametsleavened foods forbidden on Passover
Hebrew חָמֵץ
  • חָמֵץleavened foods forbidden on Passover

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with chametz

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

chametz. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chametz

MLA

“chametz.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chametz. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “chametz,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chametz.

Source: chametz on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.