These English words of Yiddish origin, except as noted, are in the online editions of the
Oxford English Dictionary (OED),
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (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
Latin script transliteration, 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.
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 ring-shaped bread roll made by boiling or steaming, and then baking, the dough (from , from Old High German
boug with diminutive
-el suffix). •
Balabusta, balabosta, balebosta (Yid. ): a Jewish mistress of the house; usually applied with positive connotations. •
Blintz: A sweet cheese-filled crepe (, from (plural)). •
Bris: The circumcision of a male child. (, from ). •
Broigus (Yid.
broygez): (n) a bitter feud of anger; (adj.) angry, irritated; from Hebrew (
berogez, "angry"). •
Boychik: Boy, young man. (English
boy + Eastern Yiddish: , diminutive suffix (from
Slavic). •
Bubbeh, bubbe (Yid. ): grandmother; elderly woman. •
Bubbeleh (Yid. ): a term of endearment; esp. for a young child or elderly relative. •
Bupkis (also
Bupkes,
Bupkus,
Bubkis,
Bubkes): Emphatically nothing, as in 'He isn't worth bupkis' (; of uncertain origin; perhaps originally meaning '[goat] droppings', from a word meaning 'beans', of Slavic origin)
C •
Cholent, cholnt, tcholent, etc. (Yid.
tsholnt): traditional slow-simmering
Sabbath stew prepared overnight. •
Chutzpah : Nerve, gall, guts, balls, daring, self-confidence, audacity, effrontery (, from Hebrew).
D •
Daven: To recite Jewish liturgical prayers (). •
Dreck, drek: Worthless, distasteful, or nonsensical material (, from Middle High ; cognate with German: ). •
Dybbuk: The
malevolent spirit of a dead person that enters and controls a living body until exorcised (). •
Dreidel: , a four-sided spinning top.
F •
Fleishig: Made with meat or poultry (, from , 'meat'; cf. German: ). It is usually used to denote a class of
kosher products.
G •
Ganef or
Gonif: A thief, scoundrel, rascal (, from Hebrew: ). •
Gelt : Money in general; also the
chocolate coins given to children on
Hanukkah (; cognate with German: ; related to 'gold'). •
Glitch: A minor malfunction (, from ; cf. German: ). •
Golem: A man-made humanoid; an android, Frankenstein monster (, from Hebrew: ). •
Goy: A
gentile, term for someone not of the Jewish faith or people (; plural or ; from Hebrew: or , plural of ).
H •
Haimish (also
Heimish) : Home-like, friendly, folksy (; cf. German: ).
K , a baked snack, commonly filled with potato •
Kasha:
buckwheat porridge or grains (prefabricated for a porridge). Originally a Slavic term, it probably entered into English usage with Jewish emigrants, especially the plural form . •
Kibitz : To offer unwanted advice, e.g. to someone playing cards; to converse idly, hence a
kibitzer, gossip (; cf. German: , may be related to German: ). •
Kishke (Yid. , the word is borrowed from Slavic): A kind of sausage stuffed with finely chopped potatoes, carrots, onions, spices, etc., rather than meat; in the plural
kishkes informally means 'abdomen'. •
Klezmer, instrumental musical tradition of the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe. • '''''': A clumsy person (; cf. German: ). •
Knish : A doughy snack stuffed with potato, meat, or cheese (), from . •
Kosher: Correct according to Jewish law, normally used in reference to Jewish dietary laws; (slang) appropriate, legitimate (originally from ). •
kugel (Yid. ): a casserole or pudding, usually made from egg noodles or potatoes. • '''''': To express great pleasure combined with pride (, from an old Germanic word; cognate with German: ). • '''''' : to complain habitually, gripe; as a noun, a person who always complains (; cognate with German: ).
L , potato pancakes •
Latke :
Potato pancake, especially during
Hanukkah (, from or . •
Litvak: A Jewish person historically residing in the territory of the former
Grand Duchy of Lithuania, or a dialect of Yiddish used by them (). •
Lox: Cured
salmon, sometimes referred to as
Nova, often used loosely to refer to
smoked salmon (; cf. German: .
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: Bastard (from Yiddish/Hebrew: ; OED) •
Maven: Expert, aficionado (, from Hebrew: ; OED, MW, AHD) •
Mazel tov, 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: 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, AHD) •
Milchig: made with milk or dairy products (, from ; cf. German: ; MW) Usually it is used to denote a class of
kosher products. •
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 ten adult males are required, while in
Conservative and
Reform Judaism 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: . •
Narrischkeit : Foolishness, nonsense (, from + ; cf. German: . •
Nebbish, also
Nebbich: An insignificant, pitiful person; a nonentity (from interjection , perhaps from Czech
nebohý or other Slavic source. •
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'. •
Nosh: Snack (noun or verb) (; cf. German: . •
Nu: A multipurpose interjection analogous to "well?", "so?", or "so what?" (, perhaps akin to Russian: . •
Nudnik: A pest, "pain in the neck"; a bore (, from the above ; cf. Polish or Russian: .
O •
Oy,
Oy vey: Interjections of grief, pain, or horror ( or 'oh, woe!'; cf. German: .
P •
Pareve / parve : Containing neither meat nor dairy products (). Usually it is used to denote a class of
kosher products. •
Potch also
Petch: Spank, slap, smack (; cf. German: . •
Plotz: To burst from strong emotion; often used humorously to express minor shock or disappointment (; cf. German: ). •
punim: the face (Yiddish
ponem, from Hebrew
panim). •
Putz: (vulgar) A penis, term used as an insult, a fool (. Also an insignificant person, incompetent, or loser. As a verb, to idle, bodge, goof off.
S •
Schav:
Sorrel soup. (, 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
Yiddish-American
hopscotch chant "...schlemiel, schlimazel..." 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
noun, a lackey, hanger-on, or loser. •
Schlimazel also
Schlemazl: A chronically unlucky person (, from [
Middle Dutch: or
Middle High German: or ] + Hebrew: ; cf. German: ; OED). The difference between a
schlemiel and a
schlimazel is described through the
aphorism, "The
schlemiel spills his soup on the
schlimazel." •
Schlock: something cheap, shoddy, or inferior (perhaps from ; cf. German: ; OED, MW) •
Schlong: (vulgar) A
penis (; cf. German: ; OED) •
Schlub: A clumsy, stupid, or unattractive person (, perhaps from Polish: ; OED, MW) •
Schmaltz: Melted
chicken fat; metaphorically, excessive sentimentality ( or German: ; OED, MW, AHD); adjective: schmaltzy •
Schmatte: A rag (, from Polish: ; OED) •
Schmear,
Shmear: Smear, spread (e.g.,
cream cheese on a bagel); colloq. bribe (noun or verb): (; cf. German: ; OED, MW). The idiom "the whole shmear" means "an entire set or group of related things" (OED). •
Schmo: A stupid person (akin to
schmuck according to 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. Derivative :
schmoozeoisie is the social class of those who earn their lives by talking, a
portmanteau of "schmooze" + "bourgeoisie". •
Schmuck: (vulgar) A contemptible or foolish person; a jerk; (, probably from
Old Polish ; MW, EO) •
Schmutter: Pieces of clothing; rubbish (; cf.
schmatte; OED) •
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 (, 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, e.g. "There was a shemozzle near the goalmouth". In particular, it was a
catchphrase of 1940s–1980s television commentator
Michael O'Hehir. •
Shikker,
Shicker,
Shickered: Drunk (adjective or noun) (, from Hebrew: ; OED) •
Shiksa 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; OED) •
Shtetl: A small town with a large Jewish population in pre-
Holocaust 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: ; AHD)
T with honey •
Tchotchke: A knickknack, trinket, curio (, , from Polish: . •
Tref or
Trayf or
Traif : Not
kosher (, from Hebrew: . •
Tsuris : Troubles, grief (, from Hebrew: . •
Tuchus (also
tuches,
tuchis,
tukus,
tuchas, or
tukhus) : The buttocks, bottom, rear end (, from Hebrew: . •
Tummler: An entertainer or master of ceremonies, especially one who encourages audience interaction (, from ; cf. German: or 'cavort'. •
Tush (also
Tushy): The buttocks, bottom, rear end (; cf.
tuchus. •
Tzimmes: A sweet stew of vegetables and fruit; a fuss, a confused affair, a to-do (.
V •
Vigorish (also contraction
Vig): That portion of the gambling winnings held by the bookmaker as payment for services (, from Russian: . •
Verklempt: Choked with emotion (, originally 'pressed, gripped'; cf. German:
verklemmt meaning 'uptight'.
Y •
Yarmulke: A round cloth skullcap worn by observant Jewish men (, possibly from Polish: and Ukrainian: , possibly from . •
Yekke: (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: . •
Yenta (variants:
yente,
yentl): A talkative woman; a gossip; a scold (, from a given name. •
Yiddish: The Yiddish language (; cf. German: . •
Yontef also
Yom Tov: A
Jewish holiday on which work is forbidden, e.g.
Rosh Hashanah,
Yom Kippur,
Pesach (, from Hebrew: . •
Yutz: A fool (, perhaps derived from
putz.
Z •
Zaftig, also
Zaftik : Pleasingly plump, buxom, full-figured, as a woman (; cf. German: . •
Zayde (Yid.
zeyde): grandfather, old man, often a term of respect or endearment. ==See also==