Reuben

1 of 3

noun (1)

Reu·​ben ˈrü-bən How to pronounce Reuben (audio)
: 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
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Noun
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 Other popular selections include: Piled High Pastrami: Hot pastrami on thick pumpernickel and rye swirl bread, with deli mustard or pastrami Reuben, topped with sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing and Swiss cheese, served with a side of cole slaw ($14.95). Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2025 There’s also a pizza topped with shrimp and bacon, a take on a Reuben sandwich made with fish in place of corned beef, and fried oysters tossed in buffalo sauce and blue cheese. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2025 Filling in for Bartz’s longtime bassist James King is Reuben Rogers, who’s performed around the region dozens of times in groups led by saxophonist Joshua Redman, vocalist Dianne Reeves, and tenor sax legend Charles Lloyd, among many others. Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Reuben

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of Reuben was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Reuben.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Reuben. Accessed 7 May. 2025.

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