Schmatta - List of Words

List of Words

A list of English words of Yiddish origin is found below. Except as noted, all words listed can be found in the current online edition of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (AHD), or the Merriam-Webster dictionary (MW).

• bagel: a ring-shaped bread roll made by boiling then baking the dough (from בײגל beygl) (OED, MW)
• blintz: a sweet cheese-filled crepe (Yiddish בלינצע blintse from Russian "блины" bliny) (AHD)
• bris: the circumcision of a male child. (from Hebrew ברית brith 'covenant') (OED, MW)
• boychik: boy, young man. (English boy + Eastern Yiddish טשיק -chik, diminutive suffix (from Slavic)) (AHD)
• bupkis (also bupkes, bupkus, bubkis, bubkes): emphatically nothing, as in He isn't worth bupkis (indeterminate, either 'beans' or 'goat droppings', possibly of Slavic, Vlach, or Greek origin; cf. Polish bobki 'animal droppings') (MW, OED)
• chutzpah: nerve, guts, daring, audacity, effrontery (Yiddish חוצפּה khutspe, from Hebrew) (AHD)
• dreck, drek: (vulgar) worthless material, especially merchandise; literally: "crap" or "shit" (Yiddish ‫דרעק ‬ drek cf. German Dreck) (OED, MW)
• dybbuk: the malevolent spirit of a dead person that enters and controls a living body until exorcised (from Hebrew דיבוק dibbuk, 'a latching-onto') (AHD)
• fleishig: made with meat (Yiddish פֿליישיק fleyshik 'meaty', from fleysh 'meat', cf. German fleischig 'meaty') (MW)
• ganef or gonif: thief, scoundrel, rascal (Yiddish גנבֿ ganev or ganef 'thief', from Hebrew גנב gannav). (AHD)
• gelt: money; chocolate coins eaten on Hanukkah (געלט gelt 'money', cf. German Geld) (AHD)
• glitch: a minor malfunction (possibly from Yiddish גליטש glitsh, from גליטשן glitshn 'slide', cf. German glitschen 'slither') (AHD)
• golem: a man-made humanoid; an android, Frankenstein monster (from Hebrew גולם gōlem, but influenced in pronunciation by Yiddish גוילעם goylem) (OED, MW)
• goy: a Gentile, someone not of the Jewish faith or people (Yiddish גוי, plural גויים or גוים goyim; from Hebrew גויים or גוים goyim meaning 'nations ', plural of גוי goy 'nation') (AHD)
• haimish (also heimish): home-like, friendly, folksy (Yiddish‫ היימיש ‬ heymish, cf. German heimisch) (AHD)
• handel /ˈhʌndəl/: to bargain ("If you handel long enough, you'll get a good price."); cf. German handeln
• huck; sometimes "hock," "huk," "hak," etc.: to bother incessantly, to break, or nag; from Hakn a tshaynik: "to knock a teakettle." Frequently used by characters intended to represent residents of New York City, even if not Jewish, in movies and television shows such as Law & Order.
• khazeray; also chazeray, or chozzerai: ( /khoz zair EYE/ ) food that is awful; junk, trash; anything disgusting, even loathsome (Yiddish כאַזער, from Heb. חזיר "khazir," pig)
• kibitz: to offer unwanted advice, e.g. to someone playing cards; to converse idly, hence a kibitzer, gossip (Yiddish קיבעצן kibetsn; cf. German kiebitzen, related to Kiebitz 'lapwing') (OED, MW)
• kike : a derogatory slur used to refer to Jews. Possibly from Yiddish קײַקל (kaykl, “circle”). (In the early 20th century, Jews immigrating to the Americas would sign papers with a circle instead of an X, the latter being the more common practice amongst non-English speaking immigrants.)
• klutz: clumsy person (from Yiddish קלאָץ klots 'wooden beam', cf. German Klotz) (OED, MW)
• kasha: porridges (from קאַשע, the plural form Yiddish קאַשע "kash" which is derived from a Slavic word meaning porridge: каша) Polish – buckwheat groats.
• knish: doughy snack comprised mainly of potato (קניש is a Yiddish word that was derived from the Ukrainian Книш)
• kosher: correct according to Jewish law, normally used in reference to Jewish dietary laws; (slang) appropriate, legitimate (originally from Hebrew כּשר kašer,kasher) (AHD)
• kvell: to express great pleasure combined with pride (Yiddish קװעלן kveln, from an old Germanic word akin to German quellen 'well up') (OED, MW)
• kvetch: to complain habitually, gripe; as a noun, a person who always complains (from Yiddish קװעטשן kvetshn 'press, squeeze', cf. German quetschen 'squeeze') (OED, MW) There is also a connection to the Hebrew and Aramaic radix "k.w.z", meaning "squeeze".
• latke: potato pancake, especially during Hanukkah (from Yiddish‫לאַטקע ‬, from either Ukrainian or Russian латка meaning "patch") (AHD)
• Litvak: a Lithuanian Jew (OED)
• lox: cured salmon (from Yiddish לאַקס laks 'salmon'; cf. German Lachs), often used loosely to refer to smoked salmon (OED, MW)
• macher: big shot, important person (Yiddish מאַכער makher, literally 'maker' from מאַכן makhn 'make', cf. German Macher) (OED)
• mamzer: bastard (from Yiddish or Hebrew ממזר) (OED)
• maven: expert; when used in a negative sense: a know-it-all; enthusiast (from Yiddish מבֿין meyvn, from Hebrew mevin 'one who understands') (OED, MW)
• mazel: luck (Yiddish מזל mazl, from Hebrew מזל mazzāl 'luck, planet') (OED)
• Mazel tov, also mazal tov: congratulations! (Yiddish מזל־טובֿ‏ mazl-tov, from Hebrew מזל טוב mazzāl ṭōv: מזל mazzāl 'fortune' or 'sign of the Zodiac (constellation)' + טוב ṭōv 'good') (OED, MW:Hebrew)
• megillah: a tediously detailed discourse (from Yiddish מגילה megile 'lengthy document, scroll ', from Hebrew מגילה məgillā 'scroll') (OED, MW)
• mensch: an upright man; a decent human being (from Yiddish מענטש mentsh 'person', cf. German Mensch) (OED, MW)
• meshuga, also meshugge, meshugah, meshuggah: crazy (Yiddish משוגע meshuge, from Hebrew məšugga‘) (OED, MW)
• meshugaas, also mishegaas or mishegoss: Crazy or senseless activity or behavior; craziness (Yiddish משוגעת meshugaas, from Hebrew məšugga‘ath, a form of the above) (OED, AHD)
• meshuggeneh, meshuggene: a crazy woman (AHD, OED)
• meshuggener: a crazy man (Yiddish משוגענער meshugener, a derivative of the above משוגע meshuge) (OED)
• milchig: made with milk (Yiddish מילכיק milkhik milky, from מילך milkh milk, cf. German milchig) (MW)
• minyan: the quorum of ten adult (i.e., 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. (Yiddish מנין minyen, from Hebrew מנין minyān) (OED, MW:Hebrew)
• mishpocha: extended family (Yiddish משפּחה mishpokhe, from Hebrew משפּחה mišpāḥā) (OED)
• naches: feeling of pride and/or gratification in 1: the achievements of another(s); 2. one's own doing good by helping someone or some organization; (Yiddish נחת nakhes, from Hebrew נחת naḥath 'contentment') (OED)
• narrischkeit: foolishness, nonsense (Yiddish נאַרישקייט, from nar 'fool', cf. German närrisch 'foolish') (OED)
• nebbish, also nebbich: an insignificant, pitiful person; a nonentity (from Yiddish interjection נעבעך nebekh 'poor thing!', from Czech nebohý) (OED, MW)
• noodge, also nudzh: to pester, nag, whine; as a noun, a pest or whiner (from Yiddish נודיען nudyen, from Polish or Russian) (OED)
• nosh: snack (noun or verb) (Yiddish נאַשן nashn, cf. German naschen) (OED, MW)
• nu: multipurpose interjection often analogous to "well?" or "so?" (Yiddish נו nu, perhaps akin to Russian "ну" (nu) or German na='well,'; probably not related to German dialect expression nu which might be used in the same way) (OED)
• nudnik: a pest, "pain in the neck"; a bore (Yiddish נודניק nudnik, from the above נודיען nudyen; cf. Polish nudne, 'boring') (OED, MW)
• oy or oy vey: interjection of grief, pain, or horror (Yiddish אוי וויי oy vey 'oh, pain!' or "oh, woe"; cf. German oh weh) (OED)
• pareve: containing neither meat nor dairy products (from Yiddish (פּאַרעוו(ע parev(e)) (OED, MW)
• pisher: a nobody, an inexperienced person (Yiddish פּישער pisher, from פּישן pishn 'piss', cf. German pissen or dialectal German pischen) (OED)
• potch: spank, slap, smack (Yiddish פּאטשן patshn; cf. German patschen 'slap') (OED)
• plotz: to burst, as from strong emotion (from Yiddish פּלאַצן platsn 'crack', cf. German platzen) (OED)
• putz: (vulgar) a penis, term used as an insult (from Yiddish פּאָץ pots) (AHD)
• schav: A chilled soup made of sorrel. (AHD) (via Yiddish סטשאוו from Polish Szczaw)
• schlemiel: an inept clumsy person; a bungler; a dolt (Yiddish שלעמיל shlemil from Hebrew שלא מועיל "ineffective") (OED, MW)
• schlep: to drag or haul (an object); to walk, esp. to make a tedious journey (from Yiddish שלעפּן shlepn; cf. German schleppen) (OED, MW)
• schlimazel also schlemazl: a chronically unlucky person (שלימזל shlimazl, from Middle Dutch slimp 'crooked, bad'—akin to Middle High German slimp 'awry', or schlimm 'poor or lacking'—and Hebrew מזל mazzāl 'luck', cf. German Schlamassel) (M-W;OED). In June 2004, Yiddish schlimazel was one of the ten non-English words that were voted hardest to translate by a British translation company. In a classic Vaudeville skit, the schlemiel spills the soup into the schlimazel's lap.
• schlock: something cheap, shoddy, or inferior (perhaps from Yiddish שלאק shlak 'a stroke', cf. German Schlag) (OED, MW)
• schlong: (vulgar) penis (from Yiddish שלאַנג shlang 'snake'; cf. German Schlange) (OED)
• schlub: a clumsy, stupid, or unattractive person (Yiddish ‬זשלאָב zhlob 'hick', perhaps from Polish żłób) (OED, MW)
• schmaltz: melted chicken fat; excessive sentimentality (from Yiddish שמאַלץ shmalts or German Schmalz) (OED, MW)
• schmatta: a rag (from Yiddish שמאַטע shmate, from Polish szmata) (OED); also means junk or low-quality merchandise: "Don't buy from Silverman; all he sells is schmatta."
• schmeer also schmear: noun or verb: spread (e.g., cream cheese on a bagel); bribe (from Yiddish שמיר shmir 'smear'; cf. German schmieren) (OED, MW)
• schmegeggy: from Yiddish שמעגעגע schmegege meaning "an idiot"; "a dickhead."
• schmo: a stupid person. (an alteration of schmuck; see below) (OED, possibly influenced by Heb. שמו, 'his or its name', indicating either anonymity or euphemism.
• schmooze: to converse informally, make small talk or chat (from Yiddish שמועסן shmuesn 'converse', from Hebrew שמועות shəmūʿōth 'reports, gossip') (OED, MW)
• schmuck: (vulgar) a contemptible or foolish person; a jerk; literally means 'penis' (from Yiddish שמאָק shmok 'penis', maybe from Polish smok 'dragon') (AHD)
• schmutter: clothing; rubbish (from Yiddish שמאַטע shmate 'rag', as above) (OED)
• schmutz: dirt (from Yiddish שמוץ shmuts or German Schmutz 'dirt') (OED)
• schnook: an easily imposed-upon or cheated person, a pitifully meek person, a particularly gullible person, a cute or mischievous person or child (perhaps from Yiddish שנוק shnuk 'snout'; cf. Northern German Schnucke 'sheep') (OED)
• schnorrer: beggar, esp. "one who wheedles others into supplying his wants" (Yiddish שנאָרער shnorer, cf. German Schnorrer (OED, MW)
• schnoz or schnozz also schnozzle: a nose, especially a large nose (perhaps from Yiddish שנויץ shnoyts 'snout', cf. German Schnauze) (OED, MW)
• schvartze: term used to denote Black people. (from Yiddish שוואַרץ shvarts 'black'; cf. German schwarz). (OED)
• schvitz: schvitz or schvitzing: To sweat, perspire, exude moisture as a cooling mechanism (From Yiddish, cf. German schwitzen). (OED)
• Shabbos, Shabbas, Shabbes: Shabbat (Yiddish Shabes, from Hebrew Šabbāth) (AHD)
• shalom: 'peace', used to say hello or goodbye. (OED)
• shammes or shamash: the caretaker of a synagogue; also, the 9th candle of the Hanukkah menorah, used to light the others (Yiddish shames, from Hebrew שמש šammāš 'attendant') (OED, MW)
• shamus: a detective (possibly from שאַממעס shammes, or possibly from the Irish name Seamus) (OED, Macquarie)
• shegetz: (derogatory) a young non-Jewish male (Yiddish שגץ or שײגעץ sheygets, from Hebrew šeqeṣ 'blemish') (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 favourite phrase of t.v. commentator Miceal O'Hehir who commentated on hurling from the 1940s to the 1980s.
• shikker, shicker, shickered: drunk (adjective or noun) (Yiddish shiker 'drunk', from Hebrew šikkōr) (OED)
• shiksa or shikse: (often derogatory) a young non-Jewish woman (Yiddish שיקסע shikse, a derivative of the above שײגעץ sheygets, from Polish siksa) (AHD)
• shmendrik or shmendrick: a foolish or contemptible person (from a character in an operetta by Abraham Goldfaden) (OED)
• shteig: in a secular sense, to accumulate wealth and possessions; in the realm of spirituality, to grow in wisdom (from German steigen 'to rise or ascend'): "Look at him, shteiging away, mamash shtark, in his corner as usual."
• shtetl: a small town with a large Jewish population in pre-Holocaust Eastern Europe (Yiddish שטעטל shtetl 'town', diminutive of שטאָט shtot 'city'; cf. German Städtl, South German / Austrian colloquial diminutive of Stadt, city) (AHD)
• shtiebel: (Yiddish: שטיבל shtibl, pl. shtiebelekh or shtiebels, meaning "little house" or "little room"; cf. German Stübel, Stüblein) is a place used for communal Jewish prayer. In contrast to a formal synagogue, a shtiebel is far smaller and approached more casually. It is typically as small as a room in a private home or a place of business which is set aside for the express purpose of prayer, or it may be as large as a small-sized synagogue. It may or may not offer the communal services of a synagogue.
• shtick: comic theme; a defining habit or distinguishing feature (from Yiddish שטיק shtik 'piece'; cf. German Stück 'piece') (AHD)
• shtup: vulgar slang, to have intercourse (from Yiddish שטופּ "shtoop" 'push,' 'poke,' or 'intercourse'; cf. German stupsen 'poke') (OED)
• shul: synagogue, typically refers to an Orthodox Jewish place of worship that is also a place of study (from Yiddish שול shul literally 'school'; plural 'shuln'; cf. Middle High German schuol, school)
• spiel or shpiel: a sales pitch or speech intended to persuade (from Yiddish שפּיל shpil 'play' or German Spiel 'play') (AHD)
• tchotchke: knickknack, trinket, curio (from Yiddish צאַצקע tsatske, טשאַטשקע tshatshke, from obsolete Polish czaczko) (OED, MW)
• tref or trayf or traif: not kosher (Yiddish treyf, from Hebrew ṭərēfā 'carrion') (AHD)
• tzimmes: a sweet stew of vegetables and fruit; a fuss, a confused affair, a to-do (Yiddish צימעס tsimes) (OED, MW)
• tsuris: troubles (from Yiddish צרות tsores, from Hebrew צרות tsarot 'troubles') (AHD)
• tukhus: buttocks, bottom, rear end (from Yiddish תחת tokhes, from Hebrew תחת taḥath 'underneath') (OED)
• tummler: an entertainer or master of ceremonies, especially one who encourages audience interaction (from Yiddish tumler, from tumlen 'make a racket'; cf. German (sich) tummeln 'go among people, cavort') (OED, MW)
• tush (also tushy): buttocks, bottom, rear end (from tukhus) (OED, MW)
• vigorish (also contraction vig): that portion of the gambling winnings held by the bookmaker as payment for services (probably from Yiddish, from Russian vyigrysh, winnings) (OED)
• verklempt: choked with emotion (German verklemmt = emotionally inhibited in a convulsive way; stuck)
• witz is Yiddish for "joke" (from german Witz)
• yarmulke: round cloth skullcap worn by observant Jews (from Yiddish יאַרמלקע yarmlke, from Polish jarmułka and Ukrainian ярмулка yarmulka (skullcap), from the Turkish word yağmurluk (raincoat; oilskin) (OED, MW; see also yarmulke)
• Yekke: (mildly derogatory) a German Jew (Yiddish יעקע Yeke (jacket). 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. (OED)
• yenta: a talkative woman; a gossip; a scold (from Yiddish יענטע yente, from a given name) (OED, MW)
• Yiddish: the Yiddish language (from Yiddish ייִדיש yidish 'Jewish', cf. German jüdisch) (AHD)
• yontef also yom tov: a Jewish holiday on which work is forbidden, e.g. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach (from Yiddish יום- טובֿ yontef 'holiday', from Hebrew יום טוב yōm ṭōv 'good day') (OED)
• yutz: a fool (NPD)
• zaftig: pleasingly plump, buxom, full-figured, as a woman (from Yiddish זאַפֿטיק zaftik 'juicy'; cf. German saftig 'juicy') (OED, MW)