Dictionary Definition

nebbish n : (Yiddish) a timid unfortunate simpleton [syn: nebbech]

User Contributed Dictionary

English

Etymology

Yiddish נעבעך (nebekh).

Noun

nebbish

One who is fearful and timid, especially in making decisions and plans, in discussions, debates, arguments, and confrontations, and in taking responsibility.

Actor Rick Moranis often plays a nebbish.
(slang, mildly pejorative, especially in NY region): A loser.

Quotations

2001, Foster Hirsh, Love, Sex, Death, and the Meaning of Life: The Films of Woody Allen http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&vid=ISBN0306810174&id=xS9f-DI5ag4C&pg=PA9&lpg=PA9&dq=nebbish+Woody+Allen&sig=8K1Y0VWMFTi5g8MbwGm_bxRi-ns

“I don't consider myself a nebbish,” Woody told interviewers early in his career, “but everyone else does.”

Extensive Definition

This is a list of English language words of Yiddish language origin, many of which have entered the language by way of American English or Cockney. Spelling of some of these words may be variable (for example, schlep is also seen as shlep, schnoz as shnozz, and so on). Many of these words are more common in the entertainment industry, via vaudeville, the Catskills/Borscht Belt, and Hollywood. Others are more regionally oriented, e.g. in the New York City metropolitan area.

Yiddish is a Germanic language originally spoken by the Jews of Eastern Europe, written in the Hebrew alphabet, and containing a substantial substratum of words from Hebrew as well as numerous loans from Slavic languages. For that reason, it is worth noting that some of these words listed below are in fact of Hebrew or Slavic origin, but have entered the English language via their Yiddish forms. Since Yiddish is very closely related to modern German, many native Yiddish words have close German cognates; in a few cases it is difficult to tell whether English borrowed a particular word from Yiddish or from German. Since Yiddish is originally written using the Hebrew alphabet, some words have several spellings in the English alphabet. The transliterated spellings of Yiddish words and conventional German spellings are different, but the pronunciations are frequently the same (e.g., shvarts in Yiddish is pronounced the same way as schwarz in German).

Many of these words are used in English differently than in Yiddish. For example chutzpah is usually used in Yiddish with a negative connotation meaning improper audacity, while in English it has a more positive meaning. Shlep in Yiddish is usually used for carrying (or dragging) something else, while in English it is used more commonly for dragging the self. Glitch simply means 'slip' in Yiddish.

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), American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (AHD), or 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) (AHD)
bris : the circumcision of a male child. (from Hebrew brith 'covenant') (OED, MW)
boychick : boy, young man. (English boy + Eastern Yiddish -chik, diminutive suffix (from Slavic)) (AHD)
bubkes (also spelled "bupkis") : emphatically nothing, as in He isn't worth bubkes (literally 'goat droppings', possibly of Slavic origin; cf. Polish bób 'bean') (MW)
chutzpah : guts, daring, audacity, effrontery (Yiddish חוצפּה khutspe, from Hebrew) (AHD)
dreck : (vulgar) worthless material, especially merchandise; "crap" (Yiddish ‫דרעק ‬ drek or German Dreck) (OED, MW)
dybbuk : the malevolent spirit of a dead person which enters and controls a living body until exorcised (from Hebrew דיבוק dibbuk, that which clings) (AHD)
fleishig : made with meat (Yiddish ‫פֿלײשיק ‬ fleyshik 'meaty', from fleysh 'meat', cf. German Fleisch) (MW)
ganef or gonif : thief, scoundrel, rascal (Yiddish גנבֿ ganef 'thief', from Hebrew gannav). (AHD)
gelt : money; chocolate coins eaten on Hanukkah (געלט gelt 'money', cf. German Geld) (AHD)
glitch : a minor malfunction (possibly from Yiddish glitsh, from 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 goylem) (OED, MW)
goy : a gentile, someone not of the Jewish faith or people (Yiddish גוי, plural גוים goyim; from Hebrew גוים goyim meaning 'nations [usually other than Israel]', plural of גוי goy 'nation') (AHD)
haimish (also heimish) : home-like, friendly, folksy (Yiddish ‫הײמיש ‬ heymish, cf. German heimisch) (AHD)
huck; sometimes "hock", "huk", "hak". etc.: to bother incessantly, or nag; from hakn a tshaynik. 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.
kibitz : to offer unwanted advice, e.g. to someone playing cards; to converse idly, hence a kibbitzer, gossip (Yiddish קיבעצן kibetsn; cf. German kiebitzen, related to Kiebitz 'lapwing') (OED, MW)
klutz : clumsy person (from Yiddish קלאָץ klots 'wooden beam', cf. German Klotz) (OED, MW)
kosher : conforming to Jewish dietary laws; (slang) appropriate, legitimate (originally from Hebrew כּשר kašer) (AHD)
kvell : to feel delighted and proud to the point of tears (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)
latke : potato pancake, especially during Hanukkah (from Yiddish ‫לאַטקע ‬, from either Ukrainian or Russian) (AHD)
Litvak : a Lithuanian Jew (OED)
lox : smoked salmon (from Yiddish לאַקס laks 'salmon'; cf. German Lachs '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 (from Yiddish מבֿין meyvn, from Hebrew mevin 'one who understands') (OED, MW)
mazel : luck (Yiddish מזל mazl, from Hebrew מזל mazzāl 'luck, planet') (OED)
Mazal Tov : congratulations! (Yiddish מזל־טובֿ‏ mazl-tov, from Hebrew mazzāl ṭōv: mazzāl 'fortune' + ṭōv 'good') (OED, MW:Hebrew)
megillah : a tediously detailed discourse (from Yiddish מגילה megile 'lengthy document, scroll [esp. the Book of Esther]', 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)
meshugas : madness, nonsense, irrational idiosyncrasy (Yiddish משוגעת meshugas, from Hebrew məšugga‘ath, a form of the above) (OED)
meshuggener : a crazy person (Yiddish משוגענער meshugener, a derivative of the above משוגע meshuge) (OED)
milchig : made with milk (Yiddish milkhik milky, from milkh milk, cf. German milchig) (MW)
minyan : the quorum of ten adult (i.e., 13 or older) Jews who are necessary for the holding of a public worship service (Yiddish מנין minyen, from Hebrew מנין minyān) (OED, MW:Hebrew)
mishpocha : extended family (Yiddish משפּחה mishpokhe, from Hebrew משפּחה ) (OED)
naches : feeling of pride in 1: the achievements of one's children; 2. one's own doing good by helping someone or some organization (Yiddish נחת nakhes, from Hebrew נחת 'contentment') (OED)
narrischkeit : foolishness, nonsense (Yiddish ‫נאַרישקײט , from nar 'fool', cf. German närrisch 'foolish') (OED)
nebbish : an insignificant, pitiful person; a nonentity (from Yiddish interjection nebekh 'poor thing!', from Czech nebohý) (OED, MW)
noodge : 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"; probably not related to German dialect expression nu [short for nun=now], 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 אױ װײ oy vey 'oh, pain!' or "oh, woe"; cf. German oh weh) (OED)
pareve : containing neither meat nor dairy products (from Yiddish (פּאַרעװ(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 : an idiot, a jerk; a penis (from Yiddish פּאָץ pots) (AHD)
schlemiel : an inept clumsy person; a bungler; a dolt (Yiddish shlemil) (OED, MW)
schlep : to drag or haul (an object); to make a tedious journey (from Yiddish שלעפּן shlepn; cf. German schleppen) (OED, MW)
schlimazel : a chronically unlucky person (שלימזל shlimazl, from Middle High German slim 'crooked' and Hebrew מזל mazzāl 'luck') (OED)

In June 2004, Yiddish shlimazl was one of the ten non-English words that were voted Words hardest to translate by a British translation company.

schlock : something cheap, shoddy, or inferior (perhaps from Yiddish 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)
schmatte : a rag (from Yiddish שמאַטע shmate, from Polish szmata) (OED)
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)
shmendrik : a foolish or contemptible person (from a character in an operetta by Abraham Goldfaden) (OED)
schmo : a stupid person. (an alteration of schmuck; see below) (OED)
schmooze : to converse informally, make small talk or chat (from Yiddish שמועסן shmuesn 'converse', from Hebrew shəmūʿōth 'reports, gossip') (OED, MW)
schmuck : a contemptible or foolish person; a jerk; literally means 'penis' (from Yiddish שמאָק shmok 'penis') (AHD)
schmutter : clothing; rubbish (from Yiddish 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 (perhaps from Yiddish שנוק shnuk 'snout'; cf. Northern German Schnucke 'sheep') (OED)
schnorrer : beggar (Yiddish שנאָרער shnorer, cf. German schnorren 'to beg or steal (usu. a small item of a consumable good) of a friend') (OED, MW)
schnoz or schnozz also schnozzle : a nose, especially a large nose (perhaps from Yiddish שנויץ shnoits 'snout', cf. German Schnauze) (OED, MW)
schvartze : term used to denote black people; can be used derogatorily. (from Yiddish שוואַרץ shvarts 'black'; cf. German schwarz). (OED)
Shabbos or Shabbes : Shabbat (Yiddish Shabes, from Hebrew Šabbāth) (AHD)
shammes or shamash: the beadle or sexton 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 shammes, or possibly from the Irish name Seamus) (OED)
shegetz : (derogatory) a young non-Jewish male (Yiddish שגץ or שײגעץ sheygets, from Hebrew '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.

shicker or 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) (AHD)
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 colloquial diminutive of Stadt, city) (AHD)
shtick : comic theme; a defining habit or distinguishing feature (from Yiddish שטיק 'piece'; cf. German Stück 'piece') (AHD)
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 טשאַטשקע tshatshke, from obsolete Polish czaczko) (OED, MW)
tref or trayf or traif : not kosher (Yiddish treyf, from Hebrew '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) (AHD)
tuchus : buttocks, rear end (from Yiddish תּחת tokhes, from Hebrew תחת '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 : butt, rear end (from tuchus) (OED, MW)
yarmulke : round cloth skullcap worn by observant Jews (from Yiddish yarmulke, from Polish jarmułka, ultimate etymology unclear) (OED, MW)
Yekke : (mildly derogatory) a German Jew (Yiddish יעקע Yeke) (OED)
yenta : a talkative woman; a gossip; a scold (from Yiddish יענטע, from a given name) (OED, MW)
Yiddish : the Yiddish language (from Yiddish Yidish 'Jewish', cf. German jüdisch) (AHD)
yontef also yom tov : a Jewish holiday on which work is forbidden, eg. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach (from Yiddish יום- טובֿ yontef 'holiday', from Hebrew יום טוב 'good day') (OED)
yutz: a stupid, clueless person (http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Glossary/Yiddish_Words/yiddish_words.html#Y http://www.m-w.com/info/pr/2005-scrabble-dictionary.htm)
zaftig : plump, chubby, full-figured, as a woman (from Yiddish zaftik 'juicy'; cf. German saftig 'juicy') (OED, MW)

Notes

External links

nebbish in German: Liste deutscher Wörter aus dem Hebräischen

nebbish in Dutch: Jiddisch#Joodse_woorden_in_het_Nederlands

Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words

Milquetoast, a nobody, a nothing, baby, big baby, chicken, cipher, common man, crybaby, doormat, dud, dull tool, dummy, figurehead, gutless wonder, hollow man, insignificancy, invertebrate, jackstraw, jellyfish, lay figure, lightweight, little fellow, little guy, man of straw, mediocrity, meek soul, milksop, mollycoddle, namby-pamby, nobody, nobody one knows, nonentity, nothing, nullity, obscurity, pansy, pantywaist, pip-squeak, punk, puppet, pushover, runt, sad sack, scrub, shrimp, sissy, small fry, small potato, small potatoes, softling, softy, sop, squirt, squit, thing of naught, trifle, weak sister, weakling, whiffet, whippersnapper, zero

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