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

Yiddish Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ve ...

language, many of them by way of

American English American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the most widely spoken language in the United States and in most circumstances i ...

. There are differing approaches to the

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

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 ...

(which uses the

Hebrew alphabet The Hebrew alphabet ( he, אָלֶף־בֵּית עִבְרִי, ), known variously by scholars as the Ktav Ashuri, Jewish script, square script and block script, is an abjad script used in the writing of the Hebrew language and other Jewi ...

); thus, the spelling of some of the following words may be variable (for example, is a variant of , and , ). Many of these words are more common in the American entertainment industry (initially via

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

), the

Catskills The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined as those areas c ...

Borscht Belt The Borscht Belt, or Jewish Alps, is a colloquial term for the mostly defunct summer resorts of the Catskill Mountains in parts of Sullivan, Orange, and Ulster counties in the U.S. state of New York, straddling both Upstate New York and the nort ...

, and

New York City English New York City English, or Metropolitan New York English, is a regional dialect of American English spoken by many people in New York City and much of its surrounding metropolitan area. It is described by sociolinguist William Labov as the most ...

. A number of Yiddish words also entered English via large Jewish communities in Britain, particularly London, where Yiddish has influenced

Cockney English Cockney is an accent and dialect of English, mainly spoken in London and its environs, particularly by working-class and lower middle-class Londoners. The term "Cockney" has traditionally been used to describe a person from the East End, or b ...

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, E ...

, originally spoken by

Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

in Central and later

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, whic ...

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

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

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 Slavic peoples and their descendants. They are thought to descend from a proto-language called Proto-Slavic, spoken during the ...

. 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 cognates; 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 script to another that involves swapping letters (thus ''trans-'' + '' liter-'') in predictable ways, such as Greek → , Cyrillic → , Greek → the digraph , Armenian → or L ...

into

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

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). Many of these words have slightly different meanings and usage in English from the Yiddish originals. For example, ''chutzpah'' usually has a negative connotation in Yiddish, meaning improper audacity, while in English it is more positive. In Yiddish, is usually a

transitive verb A transitive verb is a verb that accepts one or more objects, for example, 'cleaned' in ''Donald cleaned the window''. This contrasts with intransitive verbs, which do not have objects, for example, 'panicked' in ''Donald panicked''. Transiti ...

for carrying (or dragging) something else, while the English word, ''schlep'', is also used as an

intransitive verb In grammar, an intransitive verb is a verb whose context does not entail a direct object. That lack of transitivity distinguishes intransitive verbs from transitive verbs, which entail one or more objects. Additionally, intransitive verbs are ...

, for dragging oneself, and as a

noun A noun () is a word that generally functions as the name of a specific object or set of objects, such as living creatures, places, actions, qualities, states of existence, or ideas.Example nouns for: * Living creatures (including people, alive, ...

for an insignificant person or hanger-on. In Yiddish, means 'slip', while in English, ''glitch'' means malfunction.

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 first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a co ...

'' (OED), ''

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language ''The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language'' (''AHD'') is an American dictionary of English published by Boston publisher Houghton Mifflin, the first edition of which appeared in 1969. Its creation was spurred by the controversy o ...

'' (AHD), or the '' Merriam-Webster'' 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 ( he, אָלֶף־בֵּית עִבְרִי, ), known variously by scholars as the Ktav Ashuri, Jewish script, square script and block script, is an abjad script used in the writing of the Hebrew language and other Jewish ...

, the

Latin script The Latin script, also known as Roman script, is an alphabetic 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 southern I ...

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 → , Cyrillic → , Greek → the digraph , 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. Plain-Bagel

B

Bagel A bagel ( yi, בײגל, translit=beygl; pl, bajgiel; also spelled beigel) is a bread roll originating in the Jewish communities of Poland. It is traditionally shaped by hand into a roughly hand-sized ring from yeasted wheat dough that is first ...

: A ring-shaped bread roll made by boiling or steaming, and then baking, the dough (from ; OED
MW
. *

Blintz A blintz ( he, חֲבִיתִית; yi, בלינצע) is a rolled filled pancake of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, similar to a '' crepe'' or Russian ''blini''. History Traditional blintzes are filled with sweetened cheese, sometimes with the addition ...

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

Bris The ''brit milah'' ( he, בְּרִית מִילָה ''bərīṯ mīlā'', ; Ashkenazi pronunciation: , "covenant of circumcision"; Yiddish pronunciation: ''bris'' ) is the ceremony of circumcision in Judaism. According to the Book of Genesis, ...

: The circumcision of a male child. (, from ; OED
MW
*Boychik: Boy, young man. (English ''boy'' + Eastern Yiddish: , diminutive suffix (from Slavic)
AHD
*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, unlike other cereals and pseudocereals). While oats are suitable for human con ...

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

C

Chutzpah Chutzpah () is the quality of audacity, for good or for bad. It derives from the Hebrew word ' (), meaning "insolence", "cheek" or "audacity". Thus the original Yiddish word has a strongly negative connotation but the form which entered English ...

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

D

*Daven: To recite Jewish liturgical prayers (

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

*

Dybbuk In Jewish mythology, a (; yi, דיבוק, 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 ...

: The

malevolent spirit In mythology and folklore, a vengeful ghost or vengeful spirit is said to be the 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 or crem ...

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

F

*Fleishig: Made with meat (, from , 'meat'; cf. German:
MW

G

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

*Gelt : Money in general; also the

chocolate coins Chocolate coins, or chocolate money, are foil-covered chocolates in the shape of coins. History As a Christmas tradition, the chocolate coin giving is said to be inspired by the deeds of Saint Nicholas in the fourth century, with chocolate coin ...

given to children on

Hanukkah or English translation: 'Establishing' or 'Dedication' (of the Temple in Jerusalem) , nickname = , observedby = Jews , begins = 25 Kislev , ends = 2 Tevet or 3 Tevet , celebrations = Lighting candles each night. ...

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

Glitch A glitch is a short-lived fault in a system, such as a transient fault 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 ...

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

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

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

Goy In modern Hebrew and Yiddish (, he, גוי, regular plural , or ) is a term for a gentile, a non-Jew. Through Yiddish, the word has been adopted into English (pluralised as goys or goyim) also to mean gentile, sometimes with a pejorative se ...

: A

gentile Gentile () is a word that usually means "someone who is not a Jew". Other groups that claim Israelite heritage, notably Mormons, sometimes use the term ''gentile'' to describe outsiders. More rarely, the term is generally used as a synonym fo ...

, 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

*Kibitz : To offer unwanted advice, e.g. to someone playing cards; to converse idly, hence a ''

kibitzer Kibitzer is a Yiddish term for a spectator, usually one who offers (often unwanted) advice or commentary. The term can be applied to any activity, but is most commonly used to describe spectators in games such as contract bridge, chess and Schafk ...

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

Knish A knish is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish snack food consisting of a filling covered with dough that is typically baked or sometimes deep fried. Knishes are often purchased from street vendors in urban areas with a large Jewish population, some ...

: A doughy snack stuffed with potato, meat, or cheese (, from
MW
* Kosher: Correct according to Jewish law, normally used in reference to Jewish dietary laws; (slang) appropriate, legitimate (originally from
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 "k.w.z", meaning "squeeze".

L

Latke A latke ( yi, לאַטקע ''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. Latkes can be made with ingredients ot ...

: Potato pancake, especially during

(, from or
AHD
*Litvak: A

Lithuanian Jew Lithuanian Jews or Litvaks () are Jews with roots in the territory of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania (covering present-day Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, the northeastern Suwałki and Białystok regions of Poland, as well as adjacent areas o ...

(; OED) *

Lox Liquid oxygen—abbreviated LOx, LOX or Lox in the aerospace, submarine and gas industries—is the liquid form of molecular oxygen. It was used as the oxidizer in the first liquid-fueled rocket invented in 1926 by Robert H. Goddard, an appli ...

: Cured

salmon Salmon () is the common name for several commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family Salmonidae, which are native to tributaries of the North Atlantic (genus ''Salmo'') and North Pacific (genus '' Oncorhy ...

, sometimes referred to as Nova, often used loosely to refer to

smoked salmon Smoked salmon is a preparation of salmon, typically a fillet that has been cured and hot or cold smoked. Due to its moderately high price, smoked salmon is considered a delicacy. Although the term lox is sometimes applied to smoked salmon, t ...

(; cf. German: ; OED
MW

M

Mamzer In the Hebrew Bible and Jewish religious law, a ''mamzer'' ( he, ממזר, , "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 de ...

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

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

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

Mazel tov "Mazel tov" or "mazal tov" (Hebrew/Yiddish: , Hebrew: ''mazál tov''; Yiddish: ''mázl tov''; lit. "good fortune") is a Jewish phrase used to express congratulations for a happy and significant occasion or event. Etymology and pronunciation ...

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

Mensch ( yi, מענטש, ''mentsh'', from Middle High German , from Old High German ''mennisco''; akin to Old English ''human being'', ''man'') means "a person of integrity and honor". According to Leo Rosten, a is "someone to admire and emulate, som ...

: 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 (, from ; cf. German:
MW
* Minyan: 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 the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses ...

ten adult males are required, while in

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

and

Reform Judaism Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its ethical aspects to its ceremonial ones, and belief in a continuous sear ...

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: ; OED
MW

O

*Oy or

Oy vey ''Oy vey'' ( yi, אױ װײ) 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 equival ...

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

P

Pareve In ''kashrut'', the dietary laws of Judaism, pareve (from yi, פאַרעוו for "neutral", in Hebrew , and also parve and other variant English spellings) is a classification of edible substances that contain neither dairy nor meat ingredients. ...

: Containing neither meat nor dairy products (; OED
MW
*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) *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: A chilled soup made of

sorrel Sorrel (''Rumex acetosa''), also called common sorrel or garden sorrel, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Polygonaceae. Other names for sorrel include spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock ('dock' being a common name for the genus '' ...

. (, from Polish:
AHD
*

Schlemiel Schlemiel ( yi, שלומיאל; sometimes spelled shlemiel or shlumiel) is a Yiddish term meaning "inept/incompetent person" or "fool". It is a common archetype in Jewish humor, and so-called "''schlemiel'' jokes" depict the ''schlemiel'' falling i ...

: 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 popular 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 ch ...

chant from the opening sequence of the American sitcom '' Laverne & Shirley''. *Schlep: To drag or haul (an object); to walk, esp. to make a tedious journey (; cf. German: ; OED
MW
. Also a

, a lackie, 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 c. 1550, there was no overarc ...

: or

Middle High German Middle High German (MHG; german: Mittelhochdeutsch (Mhd.)) is the term for the form of German spoken in the High Middle Ages. It is conventionally dated between 1050 and 1350, developing from Old High German and into Early New High German. Hig ...

: 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 ...

, "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 (plural ''penises'' or ''penes'' () is the primary sexual organ that male animals use to inseminate females (or hermaphrodites) during copulation. Such organs occur in many animals, both vertebrate and invertebrate, but males d ...

(; 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, lat ...

: 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 ...

; excessive sentimentality ( or German: ; OED
MW
*Schmatte: A rag (, from Polish: ; OED) *Schmeer also

schmear __NOTOC__ ''Schmear'' is a word of Germanic origin, equivalent to "smear" or "spread" (usually fat or butter). In some Germanic languages, the cognate of ''smear'' itself means butter (c.f. ''smör/smør'' in the North Germanic languages). The u ...

: 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 Stabilizers such as carob bean gum and carrageenan are often added in industrial production. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration de ...

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 ( pl, język staropolski, staropolszczyzna) 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 Ol ...

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 * Olivier Schmutz (born 1971), Swiss judoka * ''Schmutz'' (film), 1987 Austrian film {{Disambiguat ...

: Dirt ( or German: ; OED) *

Schnook This is a list of words that have entered the English language from the Yiddish language, many of them by way of American English. There are differing approaches to the romanization of Yiddish orthography (which uses the Hebrew alphabet); thus ...

: An easily imposed-upon or 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 (, 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 ''Sheigetz'' or ''shegetz'' (שייגעץ or in Hebrew שֵׁיְגֶּץ; alternative Romanizations incl. ''shaygetz'', ''shaigetz'', ''sheygets'') with the alternative form ''shkotz'' (plural: ''sheygetses'' and ''shkotzim'', respectivelyPhilo ...

: (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, 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 ga, Mícheál Ó hEithir; 2 June 1920 – 24 November 1996) was an Irish hurling, football and horse racing commentator and journalist. Between 1938 and 1985 his enthusiasm and memor ...

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

Shiksa ''Shiksa'' ( yi, שיקסע, translit=shikse) is an often disparaging, although not always, 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 Germ ...

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 (Yiddish: אַבֿרהם גאָלדפֿאַדען; 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 the languages Yid ...

; OED) *

Shtetl A shtetl or shtetel (; yi, שטעטל, translit=shtetl (singular); שטעטלעך, romanized: ''shtetlekh'' (plural)) is a Yiddish term for the small towns with predominantly Ashkenazi Jewish populations which existed in Eastern Europe before ...

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

Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; ...

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

: A knickknack, trinket, curio (, , from Polish: ; OED
MW
*Tref or Trayf or Traif : Not kosher (, from Hebrew:
AHD
*Tsuris : Troubles, grief (, Carr, David
"Abramson’s Exit at ''The Times'' Puts Tensions on Display"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', 18 May 2014. Retrieved 2014-05-19. from Hebrew:
AHD
*TuchusMottel Baleston

''The Messianic Association'' website

Jeffrey Goldberg Jeffrey Mark Goldberg (born September 22, 1965) is an American journalist and editor-in-chief of ''The Atlantic'' magazine. During his nine years at ''The Atlantic'' prior to becoming editor, Goldberg became known for his coverage of foreign affa ...

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

The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...

'', 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, 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
TzimmesS

Tzimmes ''Tzimmes'', or ''tsimmes'' ( yi, צימעס, ), 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 t ...

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

V

Vigorish Vigorish (also known as ''juice'', ''under-juice'', the ''cut'', the ''take'', the ''margin'', the ''house edge'' or simply the ''vig'') is the fee charged by a bookmaker (or ''bookie'') for accepting a gambler's wager. In American English, it can ...

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

Y

Yarmulke A , , or , plural ), also called ''yarmulke'' (, ; yi, יאַרמלקע, link=no, , german: Jarmulke, pl, Jarmułka or ''koppel'' ( yi, קאפל ) is a brimless cap, usually made of cloth, traditionally worn by Jewish males to fulfill the c ...

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

yarmulke A , , or , plural ), also called ''yarmulke'' (, ; yi, יאַרמלקע, link=no, , german: Jarmulke, pl, Jarmułka or ''koppel'' ( yi, קאפל ) is a brimless cap, usually made of cloth, traditionally worn by Jewish males to fulfill the c ...

; OED
MW
*

Yekke A Yekke (also ''Jecke'') is a Jew of German-speaking origin. German Jews are perceived in Israel as having attention to detail and punctuality. Demography The wave of immigration to British Mandatory Palestine in the 1930s and 1940s known as ...

: (mildly derogatory) A German Jew; Its most common usage derives from the British Mandate period to describe

Fifth Aliyah The Fifth Aliyah ( he, העלייה החמישית, ''HaAliyah HaHamishit'') refers to the fifth wave of the Jewish immigration to Palestine from Europe and Asia between the years 1929 and 1939, with the arrival of 225,000 to 300,000 Jews. The F ...

German Jews, who were perceived to be more formal in dress and manners. (; cf. German: ; OED) *

Yenta Yenta or Yente ( yi, יענטע) is a Yiddish women'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 Yinglish ...

: A talkative woman; a gossip; a scold (, from a given name; OED
MW
Yentl, such a girl. *

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

Jewish holiday Jewish holidays, also known as Jewish festivals or ''Yamim Tovim'' ( he, ימים טובים, , Good Days, or singular , in transliterated Hebrew []), are holidays observed in Judaism and by JewsThis article focuses on practices of mainstre ...

on which work is forbidden, e.g. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, Pesach (, 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

Notes

External links

"How to Speak Recording Studio Yiddish"
Henry Engineering

John J. Parsons, Hebrew for Christians {{English words of foreign origin Judeo-English languages

List of words Lists of loanwords of Germanic origin

Background

List of words

B

C

D

F

G

H

K

L

M

N

O

P

S

T

V

Y

Z

See also

Notes

External links