latke

[ laht-kuh ]

noun

, Jewish Cooking.

1. a pancake, especially one made of grated potato.

Word History and Origins

Origin of latke¹

1925–30; < Yiddish < East Slavic; compare Byelorussian ( g ) latka, dial. form of aladka kind of pancake, Old Russian oladǐya ( Russian oládʾya ), probably < Greek elá ( i ) dion, derivative of élaion oil

Example Sentences

Potato pancakes have a spiritual home in many world cuisines and cultures: from Jewish latkes to Swedish raggmunkar to Irish boxty.

From Salon

Instead, my family already observed our winter holiday — lighting the menorah and frying latkes in an ungodly amount of oil.

From Los Angeles Times

We would light the candles, spin the dreidel, eat the latkes, sing the songs.

From Salon

Classic Jewish latkes for Hanukkah are made with russet potatoes, occasionally Yukon golds, and are usually very simply seasoned with salt, pepper and onion.

From Washington Times

The ritual of lighting a nightly candle, as well as the emphasis on cooking foods in oil such as potato pancakes called latkes, memorialize this miraculously long-lasting oil.

From Washington Times