Reuben

1 of 3

noun (1)

Reu·​ben ˈrü-bən 

: a son of Jacob and the traditional eponymous ancestor of one of the tribes of Israel

Reuben

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural Reubens

: a grilled sandwich of corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut usually on rye bread compare rachel entry 2

Reuben

3 of 3

noun (3)

: a statuette awarded annually by a professional organization for notable achievement in cartoon artistry

Examples of Reuben in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Aside from Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Reuben's other notable movie work includes Batman Returns, Flight of the Navigator, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Mystery Men, and Blow. —Simon Thompson, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025

When a man comes to the reservation to forcibly take Reuben to the government school where Indian children are stripped of their culture, the boys’ strong, fierce mother tells them to run. —Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 25 May 2025

Sixth graders from the Encinitas Union and Del Mar Union School Districts were among 200 young students who gathered at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center on April 22 for the inaugural United Nations Global Goals Earth Day Summit. —Encinitas Advocate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 May 2025

Nicky tells her sister. Michelle (Gloria Reuben), who appears to be a lawyer, then asks the siblings to come clean. —Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Hebrew Rĕ'ūbhēn

Noun (2)

probably from Reuben Kulakofsky †1960 American grocer

Noun (3)

Reuben L. Goldberg †1970 American cartoonist

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1956, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1958, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Reuben

• rubin
• bilirubin