shochet

American  

[shaw-khet, shoh-kheyt, shoi-khit, shoh-khit] / ʃɔˈxɛt, ˈʃoʊ xeɪt, ˈʃɔɪ xɪt, ˈʃoʊ xɪt /

noun

Hebrew.

plural

shochetim,

plural

shochets

1. shohet.

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shochet British  

/ ˈʃɒxɛt, ˈʃɒkɛt /

noun

1. (in Judaism) a person who has been specially trained and licensed to slaughter animals and birds in accordance with the laws of shechita

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Etymology

Origin of shochet

C19: from Hebrew, literally: slaughtering

Example Sentences

The ordinarily vegetarian Nussbaum had eaten a farm-raised chicken the night before I met them, after watching the bird ritually killed in the kosher manner by a shochet.

From New York Times • Nov. 2, 2021

“Once, the community’s shochet slaughtered chickens, lamb, and goats right inside the synagogue building,” she said.

From New York Times • Mar. 20, 2018

And now he is studying to become a shochet, a person charged with killing animals according to Jewish dietary laws.

From New York Times • Feb. 27, 2010

The process of slaughtering requires the shochet to cut through the windpipe and gullet in mammals; through either of these in birds.

From Time Magazine Archive

For larger animals, our community would employ the help of a shochet, who would kill the goat or cow and prepare it according to our laws.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros