This is a list of words that have entered the English language from the

Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...

language, many of them by way of

American English American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the Languages of the United States, most widely spoken lang ...

. There are differing approaches to the

romanization In linguistics, romanization is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Latin script, Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and tra ...

Yiddish orthography Yiddish orthography is the writing system used for the Yiddish language. It includes Yiddish spelling rules and the Hebrew script, which is used as the basis of a full vocalic alphabet. Letters that are silent or represent glottal stops in the H ...

(which uses the

Hebrew alphabet The Hebrew alphabet (, ), known variously by scholars as the Ktav Ashuri, Jewish script, square script and block script, is a unicase, unicameral abjad script used in the writing of the Hebrew language and other Jewish languages, most notably ...

); thus, the spelling of some of the words in this list may be variable (for example, is a variant of , and , ).

Background

Yiddish is a

Germanic language The Germanic languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family spoken natively by a population of about 515 million people mainly in Europe, North America, Oceania, and Southern Africa. The most widely spoken Germanic language, ...

, originally spoken by

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

in Central and later

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountain ...

, written in the Hebrew alphabet, and containing a substantial substratum of

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

words as well as numerous loans from

Slavic languages The Slavic languages, also known as the Slavonic languages, are Indo-European languages spoken primarily by the Slavs, Slavic peoples and their descendants. They are thought to descend from a proto-language called Proto-Slavic language, Proto- ...

. For that reason, some of the words listed originated in Hebrew or Slavic languages, but have entered English via Yiddish. Yiddish is closely related to modern German, and many Yiddish words have German

cognate In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymological ancestor in a common parent language. Because language change can have radical effects on both the s ...

s; in some cases it is difficult to tell whether a particular word was borrowed from Yiddish or from German. Yiddish is written in the Hebrew alphabet, and Yiddish words may be

transliterated Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one writing system, script to another that involves swapping Letter (alphabet), letters (thus ''wikt:trans-#Prefix, trans-'' + ''wikt:littera#Latin, liter-'') in predictable ways, such as ...

into

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

spelling in a variety of ways; the transliterated spelling of Yiddish words and the conventional spelling of German are usually different, but the pronunciations are frequently the same (e.g., in Yiddish is pronounced the same way as in German).

List of words

These English words of Yiddish origin, except as noted, are in the online editions of the ''

Oxford English Dictionary The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the principal historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP), a University of Oxford publishing house. The dictionary, which published its first editio ...

'' (OED), ''

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language ''The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language'' (''AHD'') is a dictionary of American English published by HarperCollins. It is currently in its fifth edition (since 2011). Before HarperCollins acquired certain business lines from H ...

'' (AHD), or the ''

Merriam-Webster Merriam-Webster, Incorporated is an list of companies of the United States by state, American company that publishes reference work, reference books and is mostly known for Webster's Dictionary, its dictionaries. It is the oldest dictionary pub ...

'' dictionary (MW). The parentheses-enclosed information at the end of each word's entry starts with the original Yiddish term in

Hebrew script The Hebrew alphabet (, ), known variously by scholars as the Ktav Ashuri, Jewish script, square script and block script, is a unicase, unicameral abjad script used in the writing of the Hebrew language and other Jewish languages, most notably ...

, the

Latin script The Latin script, also known as the Roman script, is a writing system based on the letters of the classical Latin alphabet, derived from a form of the Greek alphabet which was in use in the ancient Greek city of Cumae in Magna Graecia. The Gree ...

transliteration Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one script to another that involves swapping letters (thus '' trans-'' + '' liter-'') in predictable ways, such as Greek → and → the digraph , Cyrillic → , Armenian → or L ...

, and the literal English translation (if different from the English definition given earlier). This may be followed by additional relevant languages (mostly Hebrew and German). One or more dictionary references appear at the end. Chocolate-Gold-Coins

A

* alter kacker or alte kacker (Yid. ): literally "old crapper". Sometimes abbreviated as AK or A.K.

; equivalent to English "old fart".

B

Bagel A bagel (; ; also spelled beigel) is a bread roll originating in the Jewish communities of Poland. Bagels are traditionally made from yeasted wheat dough that is shaped by hand into a torus or ring, briefly boiled in water, and then baked. ...

: A ring-shaped bread roll made by boiling or steaming, and then baking, the dough (from , from Old High German ''boug'' with diminutive ''-el'' suffix; OED
MW
. *

Balabusta ''Balabusta'' () is a Yiddish expression describing a good homemaker. The transliteration according to YIVO Standard orthography is '' baleboste.'' The expression derives from the Hebrew term for "home owner" or "master of the house" – the Hebre ...

, balabosta, balebosta (Yid. ): a Jewish mistress of the house; usually applied with positive connotation
MW
. *

Blintz A cheese blintzes or blintz (; ) is a rolled filled pancake in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, in essence a wrap based on a '' crepe'' or Russian ''blini''. The corresponding Russian dish is called '' blinchiki'', literally "little ''blini''". Histor ...

: A sweet cheese-filled crepe (, from (plural)
AHD
. *

Bris The ''brit milah'' (, , ; "Covenant (religion), covenant of circumcision") or ''bris'' (, ) is Religion and circumcision, the ceremony of circumcision in Judaism and Samaritanism, during which the foreskin is surgically removed. According to t ...

: The circumcision of a male child. (, from ; OED
MW
* broigus (Yid. ''broygez''): (n) a bitter feud of anger; (adj.) angry, irritated; from Hebrew (''berogez'', "angry")
OED
*Boychik: Boy, young man. (English ''boy'' + Eastern Yiddish: , diminutive suffix (from Slavic)
AHD
* bubbeh, bubbe (Yid. ): grandmother; elderly woman
OED
* bubbeleh (Yid. ): a term of endearment; esp. for a young boy-child or elderly relative
OED
*Bupkis (also Bupkes, Bupkus, Bubkis, Bubkes): Emphatically nothing, as in 'He isn't worth bupkis' (; of uncertain origin (OED); perhaps originally meaning '

oat The oat (''Avena sativa''), sometimes called the common oat, is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural). Oats appear to have been domesticated as a secondary crop, as their seeds ...

droppings', from a word meaning 'beans', of Slavic origin)
MW
OED)

C

cholent Cholent or Schalet () is a traditional slow-simmering Sabbath stew in Jewish cuisine that was developed by Ashkenazi Jews first in France and later Germany, and is first mentioned in the 12th century.Rabbi Yitzahk ben Moishe or "Zaruah" in his ...

, cholnt, tcholent, etc. (Yid. ''tsholnt''): traditional slow-simmering

Sabbath stew Sabbath stew was developed over the centuries to conform with Halakha, Jewish laws that prohibit cooking on the Sabbath. The pot is brought to a boil on Friday before the Sabbath begins, and sometimes kept on a blech or hotplate, or left in a slow ...

prepared overnight
OED

MW
*

Chutzpah Chutzpah ( - ) is the quality of audacity, for good or for bad. A close English equivalent is sometimes " hubris". The word derives from the Hebrew ' (), meaning "insolence", "cheek" or "audacity". Thus, the original Yiddish word has a strongly ...

: Nerve, gall, guts, balls, daring, self-confidence, audacity, effrontery (, from Hebrew
AHD

D

*Daven: To recite Jewish liturgical prayers (

*Dreck, drek: Worthless, distasteful, or nonsensical material (, from Middle High ; cognate with German:
MW
*

Dybbuk In Jewish mythology, a (; , from the Hebrew verb , meaning 'adhere' or 'cling') is a malicious possessing spirit believed to be the dislocated soul of a dead person. It supposedly leaves the host body once it has accomplished its goal, some ...

: The

malevolent spirit In mythology and folklore, a vengeful ghost or vengeful spirit is said to be the ghost, spirit of a dead person who returns from the afterlife to seek revenge for a cruel, unnatural or unjust death. In certain cultures where funeral and burial o ...

of a dead person that enters and controls a living body until exorcised (
AHD
*

Dreidel A dreidel, also dreidle or dreidl, ( ; , plural: ''dreydlech''; ) is a four-sided spinning top, played with during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The dreidel is a Jewish variant on the teetotum, a gambling toy found in Europe and Latin America ...

: , a four-sided spinning top
OED

F

*Fleishig: Made with meat or poultry (, from , 'meat'; cf. German:
MW
Usually it is used to denote a class of

kosher (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, ), from the Ashke ...

products. * frum (Yid. ): adjective; religious, observant of Judaism laws (cf. German "Fromm" = pious)
OED

G

*Ganef or Gonif: A thief, scoundrel, rascal (, from Hebrew:

* Gelt : Money in general; also the chocolate coins given to children on

Hanukkah Hanukkah (, ; ''Ḥănukkā'' ) is a Jewish holidays, Jewish festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem and subsequent rededication of the Second Temple at the beginning of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd ce ...

(; cognate with German: ; related to 'gold'
AHDMW
*

Glitch A glitch is a short-lived technical fault, such as a transient one that corrects itself, making it difficult to troubleshoot. The term is particularly common in the computing and electronics industries, in circuit bending, as well as among pl ...

: A minor malfunction (, from ; cf. German:
AHD
*

Golem A golem ( ; ) is an animated Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, which is created entirely from inanimate matter, usually clay or mud. The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century ...

: A man-made humanoid; an android, Frankenstein monster (, from Hebrew: ; OED
MW
*

Goy In modern Hebrew and Yiddish, (; , pl: , or ) is a term for a gentile, a non-Jew. Through Yiddish, the word has been adopted into English (pl: goyim or goys) also to mean "gentile", sometimes in a pejorative sense. The Biblical Hebrew word ...

: A

gentile ''Gentile'' () is a word that today usually means someone who is not Jewish. Other groups that claim Israelite heritage, notably Mormons, have historically used the term ''gentile'' to describe outsiders. More rarely, the term is used as a synony ...

, term for someone not of the Jewish faith or people (; plural or ; from Hebrew: or , plural of
AHD

H

*Haimish (also Heimish) : Home-like, friendly, folksy (; cf. German:

.

K

Kasha In English, kasha usually refers to the pseudocereal buckwheat or its culinary preparations. In Slavic languages, "kasha" means porridge or puree. In some varieties of Eastern European cuisine, ''kasha'' can apply to any kind of cooked grain. I ...

buckwheat Buckwheat (''Fagopyrum esculentum'') or common buckwheat is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. Buckwheat originated around the 6th millennium BCE in the region of what ...

porridge or grains (prefabricated for a porridge). Originally a Slavic term, it probably entered into English usage with Jewish emigrants, especially the form '' kashi'' (Slavic plural for "kasha"). *Kibitz : To offer unwanted advice, e.g. to someone playing cards; to converse idly, hence a ''

kibitzer Kibitzer is a Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based ...

'', gossip (; cf. German: , may be related to German: ; OED
MW
*

Klezmer Klezmer ( or ) is an instrumental musical tradition of the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe. The essential elements of the tradition include dance tunes, ritual melodies, and virtuosic improvisations played for listening; these wou ...

, instrumental musical tradition of the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe
OED
* Klutz: A clumsy person (; cf. German:
OEDMW
*

Knish A knish or knysh ( or , ) is a traditional food of Eastern European origin, characteristic of Ukrainian and Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. It typically consists of a filling covered with dough that is baked or sometimes deep fried. In most tradi ...

: A doughy snack stuffed with potato, meat, or cheese (, from
MW
*

Kosher (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, ), from the Ashke ...

: Correct according to Jewish law, normally used in reference to Jewish dietary laws; (slang) appropriate, legitimate (originally from
AHD
*

kishke Kishka or kishke (Belarusian language, Belarusian: кішка, ''kishka'' ; Czech language, Czech: ''jelito'' ; Slovak language, Slovak: ''krvavnica'' (regionally also ''hurka''); ; Romanian language, Romanian: ''chişcă''; Yiddish language, Yi ...

(Yid. ): A kind of sausage stuffed with finely chopped potatoes, carrots, onions, spices, etc., rather than meat; in the plural ''kishkes'', the abdomen
MWOED

*

kugel Kugel ( , pronounced ) is a baked casserole, most commonly made from lokshen ( ) or potato ( ). It is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish, often served on Shabbos and Jewish holidays. American Jews also serve it for Thanksgiving dinner. Etymo ...

(Yid. ): a casserole or pudding, usually made from egg noodles or potatoes
AHD
* Kvell: To express great pleasure combined with pride (, from an old Germanic word; cognate with German: ; OED
MW
* Kvetch : to complain habitually, gripe; as a noun, a person who always complains (; cognate with German: ; OED
MW
There is also a connection to the Hebrew and Aramaic

radix In a positional numeral system, the radix (radices) or base is the number of unique digits, including the digit zero, used to represent numbers. For example, for the decimal system (the most common system in use today) the radix is ten, becaus ...

"k.w.z", meaning "squeeze".

L

Latke A latke ( ''latke''; sometimes romanized ''latka'', lit. "pancake") is a type of potato pancake or fritter in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine that is traditionally prepared to celebrate Hanukkah. It is commonly eaten in Israel and the Jewish diaspor ...

Potato pancake Potato pancakes are shallow-fried pancakes consisting of grated or ground potato, matzo meal or flour and a binding ingredient such as egg or apple sauce, often flavored with grated garlic or onion and seasonings. They may be topped with a var ...

, especially during

(, from or
AHD
* Litvak: A

Lithuanian Jew {{Infobox ethnic group , group = Litvaks , image = , caption = , poptime = , region1 = {{flag, Lithuania , pop1 = 2,800 , region2 = {{flag, South Africa , pop2 = 6 ...

or a dialect of Yiddish used by Lithuanian Jews (; OED) *

Lox Lox is a fillet of brined salmon, which may be smoked. Lox is frequently served on a bagel with cream cheese, and often garnished with tomato, onion, cucumber, and capers. Etymology The American English word ''lox'' is a borrowing of Yiddi ...

: Cured

salmon Salmon (; : salmon) are any of several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the genera ''Salmo'' and ''Oncorhynchus'' of the family (biology), family Salmonidae, native ...

, sometimes referred to as

Nova A nova ( novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. All observed novae involve white ...

, often used loosely to refer to smoked salmon (; cf. German: ; OED
MW

M

* mama-loshen / mame-loshen / mame-loshn (Yid. ): one's first or native language, from Yiddish ''mama'' (mother) plus Hebrew ''lashon'', tongue or language; usually meaning "Yiddish"
OED
*

Mamzer In the Hebrew Bible and Jewish religious law, a ''mamzer'' (, , "estranged person"; plural ''mamzerim'') is a person who is born as the result of certain forbidden relationships or incest (as it is defined by the Bible), or the descendant of s ...

: Bastard (from Yiddish/Hebrew: ; OED) *

Maven MAVEN is a NASA spacecraft orbiting Mars to study the loss of that planet's atmospheric gases to space, providing insight into the history of the planet's climate and water. The name is an acronym for "Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution" w ...

: Expert, aficionado (, from Hebrew: ; OED
MW
*

Mazel tov "Mazel tov" () or "mazal tov" (; literal translation, lit. "good fortune") is a Jews, Jewish phrase used to express congratulations for a happy and significant occasion or event. Etymology and pronunciation The word ''mazel'' comes from t ...

, also Mazal tov: Congratulations! (, from Hebrew : or 'luck' + ; OED) *Megillah: A tediously detailed discourse (, from Hebrew ; OED
MW
. Usually used in American English as "the whole Megillah" meaning an overly extended explanation or story. *

Mensch Mensch or mentsh () is a Yiddish word which literally translates to "person", and figuratively means "a person of integrity and honor".. Jewish American humorist Leo Rosten describes a as "someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble characte ...

: An upright person; a decent human being (; cognate with German: ; OED
MW
*Meshuga, also Meshugge, Meshugah, Meshuggah : Crazy (, from Hebrew: ; OED
MW
. Also used as the nouns meshuggener and meshuggeneh for a crazy man and woman, respectively. *Meshugaas, also Mishegaas or Mishegoss : Crazy or senseless activity or behavior; craziness (, from Hebrew: , a form of the above; OED

*Milchig: made with milk or dairy products (, from ; cf. German:
MW
Usually it is used to denote a class of

products.What Do "Milchig, Fleishig and Pareve" Mean?
/ref> *

Minyan In Judaism, a ''minyan'' ( ''mīnyān'' , Literal translation, lit. (noun) ''count, number''; pl. ''mīnyānīm'' ) is the quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain Mitzvah, religious obligations. In more traditional streams of Judaism ...

: The quorum of ten adult (i.e., age 13 or older) Jews that is necessary for the holding of a public worship service; in

Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Oral, as literally revelation, revealed by God in Ju ...

ten adult males are required, while in

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

and

Reform Judaism Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish religious movements, Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its Jewish ethics, ethical aspects to its ceremo ...

ten adults of either sex are required. (, from Hebrew: ; OED) *Mishpocha : relative or extended family member (, from Hebrew: ; OED)

N

*Naches : The feeling of pride and/or gratification in 1: the achievements of another; 2. one's own doing good by helping someone or some organization (, from Hebrew: ; OED) *Narrischkeit : Foolishness, nonsense (, from + ; cf. German: ; OED) *Nebbish, also Nebbich: An insignificant, pitiful person; a nonentity (from interjection , perhaps from Czech ''nebohý'' or other Slavic source; OED
MW
*Noodge, also Nudzh: To pester, nag, whine; as a noun, a pest, whiner, or anxious person (, from Polish ''nudzić'' 'to bore' or Russian ''nudit''' 'to wear out'; OED) *Nosh: Snack (noun or verb) (; cf. German: ; OED
MW
*Nu: A multipurpose interjection analogous to "well?", "so?", or "so what?" (, perhaps akin to Russian: ; OED) *Nudnik: A pest, "pain in the neck"; a bore (, from the above ; cf. Polish or Russian: ; OED
MW

O

*Oy,

Oy vey ''Oy vey'' () is a Yiddish phrase expressing dismay or exasperation. Also spelled ''oy vay'', ''oy veh'', or ''oi vey'', and often abbreviated to ''oy'', the expression may be translated as "oh, woe!" or "woe is me!" Its Hebrew equivalent is ''o ...

: Interjections of grief, pain, or horror ( or 'oh, woe!'; cf. German:
OED

P

Pareve In ''kashrut'', the dietary laws of Judaism, pareve or parve (from for "neutral"; in Hebrew , ''parveh'', or , ''stami'') is a classification of food that contains neither dairy nor meat ingredients. Food in this category includes all items tha ...

/ parve : Containing neither meat nor dairy products (; OED
MW
Usually it is used to denote a class of

products. *Pisher: a nobody, an inexperienced person (, from ; cf. German: or dialectal German: ; OED) *Potch also Petch: Spank, slap, smack (; cf. German: ; OED) *Plotz: To burst from strong emotion; often used humorously to express minor shock or disappointment (; cf. German: ; OED) * punim: the face (Yiddish ''ponem'', from Hebrew ''panim'')
OED
*Putz: (vulgar) A penis, term used as an insult (

. Also an insignificant person, incompetent, or loser. As a verb, to idle, bodge, goof off.

S

*Schav:

Sorrel soup Sorrel soup is made from water or broth, sorrel leaves, and salt.Екатерина Авдеева. Ручная книга русской опытной хозяйки. СПб, 1842 Елена Молоховец. ''Подарок молодым ...

. (, from Polish:
AHD
* Schlemiel : An inept clumsy person; a bungler; a dolt ( or , probably from the Hebrew name ''Shelumiel''; OED) The word is widely recognized from its inclusion in the

-American

hopscotch Hopscotch is a playground game in which players toss a small object, called a lagger, into numbered triangles or a pattern of rectangles outlined on the ground and then hop or jump through the spaces and retrieve the object. It is a children's ...

chant "...schlemiel, schlimazel..." from the opening sequence of the American sitcom ''

Laverne & Shirley ''Laverne & Shirley'' is an American television sitcom that ran for eight seasons on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from January 27, 1976, to May 10, 1983. A spin-off of ''Happy Days'', ''Laverne & Shirley'' stars Penny Marshall and Cindy Wi ...

''. *Schlep: To drag or haul (an object); to walk, esp. to make a tedious journey (; cf. German: ; OED
MW
. Also a

noun In grammar, a noun is a word that represents a concrete or abstract thing, like living creatures, places, actions, qualities, states of existence, and ideas. A noun may serve as an Object (grammar), object or Subject (grammar), subject within a p ...

, a lackey, hanger-on, or loser. *Schlimazel also Schlemazl: A chronically unlucky person (, from [

Middle Dutch Middle Dutch is a collective name for a number of closely related West Germanic dialects whose ancestor was Old Dutch. It was spoken and written between 1150 and 1500. Until the advent of Modern Dutch after 1500 or , there was no overarching sta ...

: or

Middle High German Middle High German (MHG; or ; , shortened as ''Mhdt.'' or ''Mhd.'') is the term for the form of High German, High German language, German spoken in the High Middle Ages. It is conventionally dated between 1050 and 1350, developing from Old High ...

: or ] + Hebrew: ; cf. German: ; OED). The difference between a ''schlemiel'' and a ''schlimazel'' is described through the

aphorism An aphorism (from Greek ἀφορισμός: ''aphorismos'', denoting 'delimitation', 'distinction', and 'definition') is a concise, terse, laconic, or memorable expression of a general truth or principle. Aphorisms are often handed down by tra ...

, "The ''schlemiel'' spills his soup on the ''schlimazel''." * Schlock: something cheap, shoddy, or inferior (perhaps from ; cf. German: ; OED
MW
*Schlong: (vulgar) A

penis A penis (; : penises or penes) is a sex organ through which male and hermaphrodite animals expel semen during copulation (zoology), copulation, and through which male placental mammals and marsupials also Urination, urinate. The term ''pen ...

(; cf. German: ; OED) *Schlub: A clumsy, stupid, or unattractive person (, perhaps from Polish: ; OED
MW
*

Schmaltz Schmaltz (also spelled schmalz or shmalz) is rendered (clarified) chicken or goose fat. It is an integral part of traditional Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, where it has been used for centuries in a wide array of dishes, such as chicken soup, l ...

: Melted

chicken fat Chicken fat is fat obtained (usually as a by-product) from chicken rendering and processing. Of the many animal-sourced substances, chicken fat is noted for being high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid. Linoleic acid levels are between ...

; metaphorically, excessive sentimentality ( or German: ; OED
MW
; adjective: schmaltzy *Schmatte: A rag (, from Polish: ; OED) *Schmeer also schmear: from Polish 'smarowac' to smear, to spread, coll. to bribe; (noun or verb) Spread (e.g.,

cream cheese Cream cheese is a soft, usually mild-tasting fresh cheese made from milk and cream.Oxford English Dictionary Cream cheese is not naturally matured and is meant to be consumed fresh, so it differs from other soft cheeses such as Brie and Neuf ...

on a bagel); bribe (; cf. German: ; OED
MW
*Schmo: A stupid person (akin to '' schmuck'' according t
AHD
but disputed by OED) *Schmooze: To converse informally, make small talk or chat (, from Hebrew: ; OED
MW
. To persuade in insincere or oily fashion; to "lay it on thick". Noun: schmoozer, abbr. schmooze. * Schmuck: (vulgar) A contemptible or foolish person; a jerk; (, probably from

Old Polish The Old Polish language () was a period in the history of the Polish language between the 10th and the 16th centuries. It was followed by the Middle Polish language. The sources for the study of the Old Polish language are the data of the co ...

MWEO
*Schmutter: Pieces of clothing; rubbish (; cf. schmatte; OED) *

Schmutz Schmutz may refer to: * Charlie Schmutz (1891–1962), American Major League pitcher * Gottfried Schmutz (born 1954), Swiss road racing cyclist * Judith Schmutz (born 1996), Swiss politician * Olivier Schmutz (born 1971), Swiss judoka * ''Schmutz' ...

: Dirt ( or German: ; OED) * Schnook: An easily imposed-upon or easily cheated person, a pitifully meek person, a particularly gullible person, a cute or mischievous person or child (perhaps from ; cf. Northern German: ; OED) * Schnorrer: beggar, esp. "one who wheedles others into supplying his wants" (; cf. German: ; OED
MW
*Schnoz or Schnozz also Schnozzle: A nose, especially a large nose (perhaps from ; cf. German: ; OED
MW
*Schvartze: (offensive) A Black person (from ; cf. German: ; OED) *Shabbos, Shabbas, Shabbes:

Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; , , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the seven-day week, week—i.e., Friday prayer, Friday–Saturday. On this day, religious Jews ...

(, from Hebrew:
AHD
*Shammes or Shamash : The caretaker of a synagogue; also, the ninth candle of the Hanukkah menorah, used to light the others (, from Hebrew: ; OED
MW
*Shamus: a detective (possibly or the Irish name ''Seamus''; OED, Macquarie) * Shegetz: (derogatory) a young non-Jewish man ( or , from Hebrew:
AHD
*Shemozzle: (slang) Quarrel, brawl (perhaps related to ''schlimazel'', q.v.; OED). This word is commonly used in Ireland to describe confused situations during the Irish sport of

hurling Hurling (, ') is an outdoor Team sport, team game of ancient Gaelic culture, Gaelic Irish origin, played by men and women. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goa ...

, e.g. "There was a shemozzle near the goalmouth". In particular, it was a

catchphrase A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...

of 1940s–1980s television commentator

Michael O'Hehir Michael James Hehir (also known as Michael O'Hehir and ; 2 June 1920 – 24 November 1996) was an Irish hurling Hurling (, ') is an outdoor Team sport, team game of ancient Gaelic culture, Gaelic Irish origin, played by men and ...

. *Shikker, Shicker, Shickered: Drunk (adjective or noun) (, from Hebrew: ; OED) *

Shiksa ''Shiksa'' () is an often disparaging term for a gentile woman or girl. The word, which is of Yiddish origin, has moved into English usage and some Hebrew usage (as well as Polish and German), mostly in North American Jewish culture. Among ...

or Shikse : (often derogatory) A young non-Jewish woman (, a derivative of ''sheygets'', from Polish:
AHD
* Shmendrik or Shmendrick: A foolish or contemptible person (from a character in an operetta by

Abraham Goldfaden Abraham Goldfaden (; born Avrum Goldnfoden; 24 July 1840 – 9 January 1908), also known as Avram Goldfaden, was a Russian-born Jewish poet, playwright, stage director and actor in Yiddish and Hebrew languages and author of some 40 plays. Goldfad ...

; OED) *

Shtetl or ( ; , ; Grammatical number#Overview, pl. ''shtetelekh'') is a Yiddish term for small towns with predominantly Ashkenazi Jews, Ashkenazi Jewish populations which Eastern European Jewry, existed in Eastern Europe before the Holocaust. The t ...

: A small town with a large Jewish population in pre-

Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

Eastern Europe (, diminutive of ; cf. German: , South German / Austrian colloquial diminutive of
AHD
* Shtibl: A small synagogue or place of prayer (; cf. German: ; OED) *

Shtick A shtick is a comic theme or gimmick. The word entered the English language from the Yiddish ''shtik'' (שטיק), related to German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germa ...

: Comic theme; a defining habit or distinguishing feature or business (; cf. German:
AHD
*Shtum: Quiet, silent (; cf. German: ); OED) *Shtup: (vulgar slang) To have sexual intercourse (; cf. German: ; OED) *Shul: a synagogue (, from Middle High German: ; cf. German:
MW
*Shvitz: to sweat (v.), a sauna or steam bath (n.) (; cf. German: ; OED) *Spiel or Shpiel: A sales pitch or speech intended to persuade ( or German:

T

Tchotchke A tchotchke ( or ) is a small bric-à-brac or miscellaneous item. The word has long been used by Jewish-Americans and in the New York City English, regional speech of New York City and elsewhere. It is borrowed from Yiddish and is ultimately Sl ...

: A knickknack, trinket, curio (, , from Polish: ; OED
MW
*Tref or Trayf or Traif : Not

(, from Hebrew:
AHD
*Tsuris : Troubles, grief (, from Hebrew: ; OED
MW
*Tuchus

Jeffrey Goldberg Jeffrey Mark Goldberg (born 1965) is an American journalist who is the editor-in-chief of ''The Atlantic''. During his nine years at ''The Atlantic'' before becoming editor, Goldberg became known for his coverage of foreign affairs. He moderated ...

"Words That The New York Times Will Not Print"
''

The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher based in Washington, D.C. It features articles on politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 185 ...

'', 2010-06-09. "'Joe Lieberman is too polite to complain, but the Gore questions are getting to be a pain in the tuchis.' ... Though Leibovich's copy editors allowed ''tuchus'' to be spelled incorrectly, the ''Washington Post'' is obviously more tolerant of Jewish flamboyance ..." (also tuches, tuchis, tukus, tuchas, or tukhus) : The buttocks, bottom, rear end (, from Hebrew: ; OED). *Tummler: An entertainer or master of ceremonies, especially one who encourages audience interaction (, from ; cf. German: or 'cavort'; OED
MW
*Tush (also Tushy): The buttocks, bottom, rear end (; cf. tuchus; OED
MW
*

Tzimmes ''Tzimmes'', or ''tsimmes'' (, ), is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish stew typically made from carrots and dried fruits such as prunes or raisins, often combined with other root vegetables (including yam). Tzimmes is often part of the Rosh Hashana ...

: A sweet stew of vegetables and fruit; a fuss, a confused affair, a to-do (; OED
MW
TzimmesS

V

Vigorish Vigorish (also called the cut, the house edge, juice, the margin, the take, under-juice, or the vig) is the fee charged by a bookmaker for accepting a gambler's wager. In American English, it can also refer to the interest owed a loanshark in con ...

(also contraction Vig): That portion of the gambling winnings held by the bookmaker as payment for services (, from Russian: ; OED
AHD
*Verklempt: Choked with emotion (, originally 'pressed, gripped'; cf. German: ''verklemmt'' meaning 'uptight
MW

Y

Yarmulke A (plural: ''kippot''), , or is a brimless Jewish skullcap, usually made of cloth, traditionally worn by Jewish men to fulfill the customary requirement that the head be covered. It is the most common type of head-covering worn by men in ...

: A round cloth skullcap worn by observant Jewish men (, possibly from Polish: and Ukrainian: , possibly from ; see

yarmulke A (plural: ''kippot''), , or is a brimless Jewish skullcap, usually made of cloth, traditionally worn by Jewish men to fulfill the customary requirement that the head be covered. It is the most common type of head-covering worn by men in ...

; OED
MW
*

Yekke A Yekke (also ''Jecke'', ''Jekke'') is a humorous, mildly derogatory reference to a Jew of German-speaking origin. - A review of the book ''The Ben Yehuda Strasse Dictionary'' by Devorah Haberfeld Its Central and Eastern European Jewish counterp ...

: (humorous, mildly derogatory) A German Jew; its most common usage derives from the British Mandate period to describe Fifth Aliyah German Jews, who were perceived to be more formal in dress and manners. (; cf. German: ; OED) *

Yenta Yenta or Yente () is a Yiddish woman's given name. It is a variant form of the name ''Yentl'' (), which ultimately is thought to be derived from the Italian word ''gentile'', meaning 'noble' or 'refined'. The name has entered American English o ...

(variants: yente, yentl): A talkative woman; a gossip; a scold (, from a given name; OED
MW
*

: The Yiddish language (; cf. German:
AHD
*Yontef also Yom Tov: A

Jewish holiday Jewish holidays, also known as Jewish festivals or ''Yamim Tovim'' (, or singular , in transliterated Hebrew []), are holidays observed by Jews throughout the Hebrew calendar.This article focuses on practices of mainstream Rabbinic Judaism. ...

on which work is forbidden, e.g. Rosh Hashanah,

Yom Kippur Yom Kippur ( ; , ) is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, corresponding to a date in late September or early October. For traditional Jewish people, it is primarily centered on atonement and ...

Pesach Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday and one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals. It celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Biblical Egypt, Egypt. According to the Book of Exodus, God in ...

(, from Hebrew:
OED
*Yutz: A fool (, perhaps derived from '' putz''
NPD

Z

*Zaftig, also Zaftik : Pleasingly plump, buxom, full-figured, as a woman (; cf. German: ; OED
MW
* Zayde (Yid. ''zeyde''): grandfather, old man, often a term of respect or endearment
OED

Notes

{{English words of foreign origin Judeo-English languages

List of words Lists of loanwords of Germanic origin

Background

List of words

A

B

C

D

F

G

H

K

L

M

N

O

P

S

T

V

Y

Z

See also

Notes