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

In late 2024, new owners came on board when the investment firm Reuben Brothers acquired the property for $425 million. — Miami Herald, 9 July 2026

Raine Ventures and Antenna Group led the $27M raise, while other backers include Simon and David Reuben. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 June 2026

One theory says the sandwich was invented by German-Jewish immigrant Arnold Reuben, who sold them at his deli in New York City. — Parents, 21 June 2026

Married couple Rose and Reuben Mattus started the company in the Bronx in 1960, using egg yolks and real cream, a contrast to the supermarket ice cream at the time, which was largely made with nonfat dry milk and artificial flavoring. — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026

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