also matzo, flat piece of unleavened bread eaten by Jews during the Passover, 1846, from Hebrew matztzah (plural matztzoth) "unleavened bread," literally "juiceless," from stem of matzatz "he sucked out, drained out."
unleavened bread eaten by Jews during the holiday of Passover (Pesah) in commemoration of their Exodus from Egypt. The rapid departure from Egypt did not allow for the fermentation of dough, and thus the use of leavening of any kind is proscribed throughout the week-long holiday.