Borscht Belt

noun

variants often borscht belt or less commonly Borsch belt, often borsch belt

: the theaters and nightclubs associated with the Jewish summer resorts in the Catskills

Word History

Etymology

from the popularity of borscht on menus of the resorts

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of Borscht Belt was in 1937

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

borscht

Borscht Belt

Borscht Circuit

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Borscht Belt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Borscht%20Belt. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.

Copy Citation

Last Updated: 4 Nov 2025 - Definition revised

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