A

Aidim
son-in-law, from middle-high-German eidam
A schande (Yid., )
a disgrace; one who brings embarrassment through mere association, cf. German eine Schande, translated "a disgrace", meaning "such a shame"
A schande vor de goyim (Yid., )
"A disgrace before (in front of) the Gentiles", the scathing criticism of Judge Julius Hoffman by Abbie Hoffman during the trial of the Chicago Eight,
whereby goyim means nation, people or non-Jews.
Also spelled in varied phonetic and Germanic ways as "a shanda fur di goyim," "a schande fur die goyim," and so forth.
Ay-ay-ay (Yid., ( )sometimes spelled "ai-yi-yi" or spoken "Ei, yei, yei")
Aber gesund! (Yid., )
from the German, literally meaning "but healthy" ("As long as you're healthy!"); often used as an ironic punchline to a joke
Aber man lebt (Yid., )
from the German, meaning "At least I'm alive"
Alter kicker or alter kacker (Yid., )
an old fart (from German Alter "old" and kacker "crapper") Also sometimes spelled phonetically as "alte kocker."
B
Balabusta
a homemaker; usually applied with positive connotations
Bentsch
to bless, commonly referred to saying Grace after meals (bentching)
Billig or Billik
cheap, shoddy (said of merchandise)
Bissel (Yid., )
a small amount, "a pinch of" something (cf. Austrian/Bavarian bissl, a dialectal variant of the more standard German bisschen, "a little bit")
Blintz (Yid., blintse)
a sweet cheese-filled crepe
Bris
the circumcision of a male child
Boychik
sweetheart; usually, a young boy or young man
Bubbeh, Bubbe
grandmother; the "u" pronounced like "book" and the "e" pronounced like "bee",
not like the Southern U.S. nickname (cf. the Slavonic baba, "old woman" with different overtones in different languages)
Bubbeleh
a term of endearment; a young boy-child, deriving from the old German:
Bub for a boy-child, lovingly used by Morticia Addams in the 1964 TV series withher husband
Bubbameisse
Old wives' tale, cock and bull story (often attributed by erroneous folk etymology to combination of bubbe, "grandmother", and meisse, "tale",
but in fact derives from "Bove-meisse", from the "Bove Bukh", the "Book of Bove", the chivalric adventures of fictitious knight Sir Bevys ("Bove") of Hampton,
first published in Yiddish in 1541 and continually republished until 1910.
Bubkes (also spelled "Bupkis")
emphatically nothing, as in He isn't worth bubkes (literally "goat droppings", in Polish "bobki")
C
Capi
Head, or Forehead
Chalisch
literally, fainting ("I was chalishing from hunger."), sometimes used as a term of desperate desire for something or someone
("After a thirty-six hour shift, I was chalishing to go home already.")
Chazerei (Yiddish, khazerai
"filth" or, perhaps more literally, "piggery", from khazer "pig" from Hebrew " chazeer", pig): junk, garbage, junk food
Chesid
good deed or favor. "Do me a chesid and clean your room."
Chiddush
(from Hebrew Chadash, meaning "new")
the point, upshot, or reason, of a discussion or argument; the conclusion drawn from two or more premises; more generally, innovation.
For example: "I don't get it, what's the chiddush?" Also used when you are making fun of someone for something entirely obvious. "Chiddush! Chiddush!"
Cholent
a stew cooked over night
Chutzpah
(Yid. from Heb. khutspe, alt. sp. )Courage, determination, daring; also audacity, effrontery.
Similar in meaning to English slang guts, balls, ornerve. Can carry either a positive or negative connotation.
D
Daven (as a verb)

pray (referring to either of the three Jewish daily prayers).

Dreck or Drek (Yid., from German Dreck, "manure", "dirt" )
Material of low worth or lacking in quality; used especially of merchandise. Akin to dregs, "remains."
Dybbuk: (Yid. from Heb. dibbuk, that which clings)
a ghost; the malevolent spirit of a dead person which enters and controls a living body until exorcised.
E
Echt
real, true (cf. German "echt"= real)
Emmes
the truth
Eppes
a little, not much, something. syn. a bissel. (from German: dialect southern Rhineland/Palatina region "ebbes" in German high "etwas")
Ess (Yid., ;German imperative for "Eat!")
to eat, especially used in the imperative: Ess! Ess!
F
Fachnyok
negative term meaning very religious, often used to connote someone holier-than-thou.
Can be shortened to "chenyok", or used as a noun ("don't be such a chenyok") or an adjective ("you're so chnyokish").
Farklemt
choked up (with emotion) (cf. German verklemmt)
Farmisht
confused (cf. German vermischt = intermingled, mixed)
Feh
expression of disgust.
Feygele or Faygeleh
(pejorative) homosexual (literally 'little bird', cf. German "Vgele", also possible cf. German word "Feigling", meaning 'coward'),
could be used for anyone slightly effeminate, "Ugh, that, Moishele washes his hands, what a faygel."
Often used as a disparaging term for a homosexual male.
Note: A Fayge is a bird, and is the basis of the female name Fayga.
Such a person, as an infant, might be called Faygeleh (diminutive), until later on being called Faygie.
Folk
people, from German Volk
Fress
to eat, especially with enthusiasm (German fressen = "to eat like an animal, in an untidy way")
Fromm
adjective; religious, specifically in the area of Judaism. (cf. German "Fromm" = pious)
Frommer: (British English slang)
a Hasidic Jew (from Yiddish "frum", religious; also cf. German "Frommer" = pious person)
Futz
verb; fool aroundoften used with around
G
Ganz; Ganze
all, the whole of ("the ganze mischpache" = the whole family, etc., cf. German ganz = "whole, all")
Geh gesund
(from German) go in health; used as a goodbye. Repeated in reply. Usually neutral, but can be used sarcastically to mean "good riddance".
Geh avek
go away.
Geh shlafen
(from German) go [to] sleep.
Geh vays
literally "go know", as in "go figure". ("Last week she said she hated his guts and now she's engaged to him. Geh vays.")
Gelt
(from German Geld, Yiddish )money; also chocolate coins eaten on Hanukkah
Genug (from German; Yiddish )
enough
Geschmad, geschmadde (from Hebrew meshumad, "destroyed")
adjective meaning '(a Jew who) converted to Christianity.
Gesundheit ()
(from German) interjection said after a sneeze, equivalent to "bless you". Literally means "health".
Gewalt ( ;from German "Gewalt", violence)
Equivalent to "oi, weh" or "good grief!" Literally violence.
Glck (German)

a piece of good luck

Glitch
a minor malfunction (possibly from Yiddish glitsh)
Goilem or Golem
a man-made humanoid; an android, Frankenstein monster, or an insult, suggesting that a person has no mental capacity
Gonef or Gonif (also Ganiv)
thief (Hebrew ganav. This can be used as a somewhat generic insult, implying a "lowlife" )
the word has also been adopted from Yiddish into German as Ganove, also a thief (often figurative)
Garnicht (German gar nichts = nothing at all)
nothing, not a bit, for naught
Goy
Someone not of the Jewish faith or people; a gentile (, plural Goyim, Hebrew 'nation(s)',
often referring to nations other than Israel, although the Tanach calls Israel the "goy koddesh", "the Holy Nation", so Israel is also a 'goy'
["nation" in the sense of "a people", not "a state"] )
"What's John Smith doing in temple, he's a goy!"
"Goy" can have a neutral connotation (non-Jews), a negative connotation (not astute or too aggressive), or a positive connotation (formal, polite).
Also, among religious Jews, a derogatory term for a Jew who is both nonobservant and ignorant of Jewish law.
A Jew who is learned in Jewish law but chooses not to observe it would be called an Apikoyres (Epicurean, i.e., freethinker)
Goyisher mazel
good luck (lit. "Gentile luck")
H
Hegdesch
pigpen, often used to describe a mess (as in "your room is a hegdesch")
Hock
Bother, pester (as in the character Maj Hockstetter from Hogan's Heroes; a hockstetter being someone who constantly bothers you);
a contraction of the idiom Hakn a tshaynik (literally "to knock a teakettle"; Yiddish: ) ,
from the old time pre-whistle teakettles whose tops clank against the rim as the pressure pushed them up and down.
Often partially translated in informal speech, as in, "Don't hock my tshaynik about it!" ("Don't pester me about it!")
Hocker
botherer, pesterer (see above)
Heymish (also Haimish)
home-like, friendly, folksy (German heimisch)
I
Ibaboodle
When you boodle your buddle (angry Yiddish noise)
ich vais
I know. (German Ich wei)
Ipish
a bad odor
K
Kadoches
a fever; frequently occurs in oaths of ill-will (e.g., "I'll give him a kadoches is what I'll give him!). From Hebrew 'kedachat'.
Keppe
head (e.g. I needed that like a loch in keppe, hole in my head; German "Kopf", coll. "Kopp": "head"; German "Loch": "hole")
Keyn ayn horeh (also pronounced: kin ahurrah)
lit., "No evil eye!"; German kein: none; Hebrew ayneye, harrahbad, unclean, forbidden;
an apotropaic formula spoken to avert the curse of jealousy after something or someone has been praised;
the phrase has mutated into "Don't give me a canary!" in the Bronx
Khaloymes
dreams, fantasies; used in the sense of "wild dreams" or "wishful thinking", as in "Ah, boy, that's just khaloymes, it'll never come true."
From the Hebrew khalom (dream), pl. khalomot.
Kibitz
to offer unwanted advice, e.g. to someone playing cards; to converse idly, gossip; to josh or rib a person (Yiddish kibetsn),
German thieves' jargonkiebitschen "to examine, search, look through", influenced by German Kiebitz (any of several birds called peewits [imitative]).
Kife or Kyfe
enjoyment
Kishkes
intestines, guts. In the singular, a kind of sausage stuffed with finely chopped potatoes, carrots, onions, spices, etc., rather than meat.
Slangly, the "guts" of a mechanical object: "The car was up on blocks with its kishkes hanging out."
Kitsch
trash, especially gaudy trash (German "Kitsch")
Klop
a loud bang or wallop (German klopfen = "to knock")
Klumnik
empty person, a good-for-nothing (From Hebrew "klum", nothing.)

Klutz
clumsy person (from Yiddish klots 'wooden beam', German "Klotz") "Shloimy, you wear your hat like a klutz."
Kosher
conforming to Jewish dietary laws; (slang) appropriate, legitimate (originally from Hebrew ) see Yashrusdik.
Krankhayt
a sickness (German Krankheit)
Kugel
a casserole or pudding, usually made from egg noodles (lochshen) or potatoes (cf. German "Kugel" = ball)
Kulver
Kvell ()
beam / be proud "Shlomo, when you said the prayer so well, I knew I would kvell."
Kvatch, Kvetch
to complain habitually, gripe; or, a person who always complains, sometimes known as whinge
(from Yiddish kvetshn and German quetschen'press, squeeze')
L
Latke
potato pancake, especially during Hanukkah (from Yiddish, from either Ukrainian or Russian)
L'chaim
an expression of joy, the traditional toast "to life!"
L'ch'oira
seemingly. From Hebrew 'lichora'.
Litvak
a Lithuanian Jew
Lox
smoked salmon (from Yiddish laks and German Lachs 'salmon') eaten with bagels.
M
Macher ()
lit. "doer, someone who does things", big shot, important person (e.g. within an organization) (German Macher = maker)
"Now that Golde is the president, she acts like such a big macher."
Mama-loshen
one's first or native language, from Yiddish mama (mother) plus Hebrew lashon, tongue or language.
Mamish
really, very (an expression of emphasis)From the Hebrew "mamash" = substantially, "mamashut" = substance.
Mamzer
bastard, literally or figuratively
(from Hebrew , meaning the child of a married woman where the biological father is not the married woman's husband)
(slightly more restrictive than the English word illegitimate)
Maven: expert (from Yiddish meyvn, from Hebrew mevin 'one who understands')
MaydlGirl, young woman, from Austrian Maedel. "That's a shayne (pretty) Maydl.
Mazel (from Hebrew mazal)
luck (literally, constellation of stars)
Mazel tov! ( !mazl tof)
congratulations! (literally, 'good constellation' from Hebrew, meaning, May you be born under a good star, or at a good time.
When you tell someone Mazel Tov, it is customary to shake hands.) Literally, good luck.
Mechaye
a source of pleasure (from the Hebrew " chayim", meaning "life")
Mechutanista(f) / Mechutan(m)/ Mechutanim(pl)
kinship term for your child's female or male parent-in-law (Yid., from Hebrew /).
Mega
(from Borscht Belt Yiddish). Grandmother.
Megillah
a lengthy document or discourse (from Yiddish megile, from Hebrew 'scroll').
Production: "What are you making, a megillah?" The plural is believed to be megilloth.
Mensch
an upright man or woman; a gentleman; a decent human being (from Yiddish mentsh 'person' and German Mensch: human being)
the generic term for a virtuous man or person; one with honesty, integrity, loyalty,
firmness of purpose: a fundamental sense of decency and respect for other people (from GermanMensch, meaning human being)
Meshuga / Meshugge / Meshugah / Meshuggah ( meugn)
crazy (from Yiddish meshuge, from Hebrew meshugah, insane)
Meshuggener
a crazy person (from Yiddish meshugener)

Meshugaas
nonsense (lit. "crazy talk")
Minyan
the quorum of ten adult (i.e., 13 or older) Jews (among the Orthodox, males) who are necessary for the holding of a public worship service
Mishegoss
a crazy, mixed up, insane situation; irrationality (from Yiddish meshugas, from meshuge 'crazy')
Mishpocha
family (from Hebrew mishpachah)
Mitzve
good deed (from Hebrew mitzvah, a religious duty incumbent upon a Jew)
Mohel
a professional religious circumciser (from Hebrew )
N
Naches / nachas ()
pleasure, satisfaction, delight; proud enjoyment (usage: I have naches from you) (from Hebrew pronounced 'nachat')
Narishkeit
foolishness (German "nrrisch"foolish)
Nasherai
snack food (German naschento snack, cf. German "Nascherei")
Nebbish
a hapless, unfortunate person, much to be pitied; the one who cleans up after the schlemiel's accidents (from Yiddish nebekh)
Nosh
snack (from Yiddish nashn) Also a verb "Nu, stop noshing on that nosh."
Nu
multipurpose interjection often analogous to "well?" or "so?"; of the same linguistic origin as English now (Russian "")
Nudnik ()
pest, "pain in the neck", originally from Polish ("nuda" in Polish means "boredom"; nudziarz is the Polish word for the Yiddish nudnik)
Nudge
to push gently; move a little bit (verb) or a person who consistently annoys or complains (noun)
O
Oy
(exclamation) Oh!; Oy GuttOh (my) God!
Oy gevalt ()
Oh no! (from Yiddish gvald 'emergency'). Cognate with German Gewalt "force, violence".
Oy vey ()
(exclamation) Oh, woe! (Oh no!literally, "Oh, pain!", cf. German "Oh Weh!").
Oy vey iz mir
(exclamation) from ' Oh, woe is me!', 'Oh, my suffering
Oytzer
sweetheart, dear (from Hebrew Otzar, treasure)
P
Pisher
a male infant; a little squirt; a nobody, (Cognate with German "Pisser", originating from German "pissen" = to piss)
Pipik
incorrectly translated as a male penis; it means bellybutton
Potch
a light spanking or disciplinary slap, done usually by a parent to a child, and often taking place on the top of the hand or the buttocks
(cf. South German word "patschen" meaning slap).
Plotz
to burst, as from strong emotion: "I was so angry, I thought I'd plotz!" (from Yiddish platsn 'to crack', cf. German platzen)
Punkt farkert
just the opposite, total disagreement. German: Punkt verkehrt; wrong!
Punim
the face (Yiddish ponem, from Hebrew panim)
Pupik
the navel; belly button (Polish ppek= the navel)
Putz
unclean penis; stupid 'dirty' person, a jerk (from Yiddish pots)
R
Rachmones
mercy, pity

Redd
'to redd a shidduch': to recommend a person for marriage.
Rutzer
very young and inexperienced
S
Schicker or Schickered
drunk, intoxicated (from the Hebrew shikur: drunk, cf. German [coll.] angeschickert "soused, tipsy")
Dchissel or Shisl
bowl, especially a large mixing bowl (from German "Schuessel" = bowl)
Schlemiel
an inept clumsy person; a bungler; a dolt (from Yiddish shlemil or shlimil from the Hebrew "Sh'aino Mo'eil" literally ineffective)
Schlep
to drag or haul (an object); to make a tedious journey (from Yiddish shlepn and German schleppen)
Schlepper
bum
Schlimazel / Schlimazel
a chronically unlucky person ( shlimazl, from shlim "bad" and mazl "luck").
The difference between a shlemiel and a shlimazl is described through the aphorism,
"A shlemiel is somebody who often spills his soup; a shlimazl is the person the soup lands on.
" One of the ten non-English words that a British translation company identified as being the most difficult to translate into English in June 2004.
(from Yiddish shlimazl cf. German Schlamassel)
Schlock
A poorly made product or poorly done work, usually quickly thrown together for the appearance of having been done properly; "this writing is schlock."
Something shoddy or inferior. (perhaps from Yiddish shlak "a stroke")
Schlong
from Yiddish shlang and German Schlange meaning a snake; description of a tricky or deceitful or hateful despicable person. Vulgar: "penis"
Schlub
a clumsy, stupid, or unattractive person
Schmaltz
excessive sentimentality; chicken fat or drippings used as a schmeer on bread (from Yiddish shmalts and German Schmalz)
Schmeckle
a little penis, often ascribed to a baby boy
Schemer
as a verb, to spread, e.g., the cream cheese on your bagel; also, as a noun, that which you spread on something,
e.g., "I'll have a piece of challah with a
Schemer
" Can also mean to bribe (to spread money on someone's hands). (From ( ) cf. German schmieren)
Schmo
a stupid person. (an alteration of schmuck; see below)
Schmooze
to converse informally, to small talk or chat. Can also be a form of brown-noseing (from Yiddish shmuesncf. German schmusen).
The word is commonly used in the business world to refer to informal networking activities
Schmuck
a contemptible or foolish person; a jerk; literally means "penis" (from Yiddish shmok 'penis')
Schmutz
buildup; dirt, often pertaining to petty household dirt (on the table, floor, clothes etc.)
Also used metaphorically to the English equivalent; smut, sleaze (from German Schmutz)
Schnaps
whiskey or liquor (cf. German "Schnaps" = liquor)
Schnook
an easily imposed-upon or cheated person, a pitifully meek persona ; particularly gullible person. (from Yiddish )
Schnor / Tsnorr
to beg
Schnorrer ()
beggar or person always asking others for hand-outs or services (cf. German Schnorrer, schnorren)
Schnoz / schnozzle / schnozzle
a nose, especially a large nose. cf. English nozzle. (also spelled from Yiddish shnoits 'snout', cf. German Schnauze "snout")
Schrai
a shriek or wail, sometimes used to connote exaggerated hysterics. ("When I told her I'd be ten minutes late, she let out such a shrai!") (cf. German Schrei)
Schtick'l
a little piece of something, usually food. Dim. of stick, from German Stckchen.
In "delis", salami ends were sold from a plate on the counter labeled "A nickel a schtickel"
Schtupp / Schtuff

(vulgar) to have sex with, screw (from Yiddish shtupn 'push, poke'; similar to 'stuff'); to fill, as in to fill someones pocket with money ("Schtupp him $50.)
Frequently used in the former context by Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog.
Schverr
father-in-law (German Schwager)
Schvigger
mother-in-law (German Schwiegermutter)
Schvitz
Sweat (German schwitzen)
Shabbes goy
a Gentile who performs labour forbidden on the Jewish Sabbath for observant Jews;
sometimes used (by implication) for someone who "does the dirty work" for another person (from Yiddish Shabbes, Sabbath + goy, a non-Jew)
Shames
the beadle or sexton of a synagogue (from Yiddish shames, an attendant) (originally from Hebrew shamash "servant")
Shemozzle
a sate of chaos and confusion
Shep naches
take pride. Sometimes shortened to "Shep". ("Your son got into medical school? You must be Shepping.")
Sheygetz or Shegetz ( )
(semi-pejorative) Gentile malemale form of Shiksa. (from Hebrew , vermin)
Sheyne meydel
a beautiful girl (cf. German schnes Mdel)
Shiksa ()
(can be pejorative) a Gentile woman (from Hebrew , vermin)
Shiva (Judaism)
The mourning of seven days after one dies by his family
Shmatte
an old rag. Used literally: I spilled the coffee, bring me a shmatte, quick! Used figuratively (usu. derisively):
That fancy dress she spent half her husband's money on just looked like a shmatte to me.
(Cf. Polish szmata "rag, piece of cloth", Ukrainian: shmata "old rag")
Used ironically: "I'm in the schmatte business", meaning "I manufacture or sell clothing."
Shmegege
a stupid person, a truly unlucky one; has been said to be the one who cleans up the soup the shlemiel spilled on the shlimazl.
Shmendrik
ineffectual person.
Shpiel
an act; a lengthy, often instructive talk (from Yiddish shpil shpil and German Spiel "play, game")
Shpilkes
nervous energy; to be feeling "antsy", to be "sitting on pins and needles". Cf. Polish szpilka, "pin"
Shtark, Shtarker
strong, brave (German stark), a criminal
Shtick
comic theme; a defining habit or distinguishing feature (from Yiddish ' a piece of something': cf. German Stck, "piece").
Shtotty
fancy or elegant; may sometimes be pejorative ("She thinks she's so shtotty with that new dress of hers.")
Shtuch
to put someone down, often facetiously ("I shtuched him out." Can be used as a noun to refer to a clever put-down or rejoinder
("When I told my father that my stupidity must be hereditary, it was such a good shtuch!")
Shtick dreck
literally "a piece of dirt" (see Dreck), but usually applied to a person who is hated because of the antisocial things he has done:
"He's a real shtuck dreck." Possibly shtick dreck: a piece of crap. Cf. German Stck Dreck.
Shtum
quiet ( shtum "mute") (German stumm)
Shvartzer: ()
Black person (possibly derogatory) (from shvarts "black", German schwarz)
Shvitz
A steam bath (German schwitzen = to sweat). Also used for sweat or some kind of dirt or filth
T
Takeh
really, totally. "This is takeh a problem!"
Tchepen
to bother someone incessantly ("Stop tcheppening me!") or to playfully banter with someone
("We spent the entire date tcheppening each other about what bad taste the other one had.")

Tchotchke
knick-knack, trinket, miscellaneous curios of no obvious practical use (from Yiddish tshatshke and possibly from a Ukrainian word for toy).
May be used to refer to pretty women.
Tornig
a disobedient nephew
Traif (or trayf)
forbidden, non-Kosher foods; anything forbidden
(from Exodus 22:30, technically referring to an animal with any of a specific group of physical defects making it inedible)
Tsaddik
pious, righteous person; one of the 36 legendary saints for whose sake God does not destroy the world
Tsim gezunt
to [your] health! Used as a response to a sneeze; German "gesund": "healthy")
Tsimmis, Tsimmes
a fuss, a disturbance. "So you lost a dime. Don't make a big tsimmis!" Also, a kind of prune or carrot stew.
Tsuris
troubles (from Yiddish tsores)
Tuchas or Tochis
buttocks (from Yiddish tokhes)
Tummeler
raucous comedian, e.g. Jerry Lewis, Robin Williams, from vaudeville and the Catskills Borscht Belt; origin from the German "tummeln".
Tummel
excitement (c.f. German "tummeln"= romp)
Tushie
or just tushpolite way of saying tuchus or backside.
U
Ungershpart
Stubborn
V
Verbissen
verbissener (Yid., ; cf. German verbissen): adj. Bitter; sullen; crippled by bitterness.
Verblandzhet (Yid.,
far- cf. German ver- and Polish bdzi = "to stray around"): lost, bewildered, confused, mixed-up (appropriately, there are several variant spellings)
Verdreht (Yid., ; dreh meaning turn, cf. dreidel; also cf. German verdreht = "twisted"): confused, mixed-up, distracted
Verfrommt
negative term for someone very religious or pious.
"She came back from seminary and became all farfrumt." (cf. German verformt = "deformed", ver- + "fromm" = hypocritically pious)
Verklempt
choked up; speechless; unable to express one's feelings/emotions (cf. German verklemmt = "uptight"); stuck
Verschimmelt
shook up, rattled, in a state of nerves. "She wasn't hurt in the accident, but she was pretty verschimmelt". (cf. German verschimmelt= moldy)
Verkackte (Yid., )
an adjective, meaning 'screwed up' or 'a bad idea'; literally, 'crapped' or 'becrapped', cf. German "verkackte(r)"
Verschtupft
(pejorative) pregnant, recently had sex, constipated. (stuffed) (cf. German "verstopft"= blocked)
W
Wilde chaya
impolite or undisciplined child, literally, wild beast
Y
Yenta or Yenta
a talkative woman; a gossip; a blabbermouth; a scold. Used as the name of the matchmaker in "Fiddler on the Roof", who personifies these qualities.
Yichus
pedigree, family background, an advantage
Yiddishe Mama
a stereotypical Jewish mother
Yiddisher kop
intelligence (lit. "Jewish head"; German "Jdischer Kopf": Jewish head)
Yiddisher mazel
bad luck (lit. "Jewish luck")
Yontiff
a Jewish holiday on which work is forbidden, e.g. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach (from the Hebrew "Yom Tov", Good Day, or Holiday)
Yungotch
a rascal

Z
Zach
thing or item. When used with "gantze", can refer to an event or story, i.e. "The ganztze zach only took two hours." The "whole thing" only took two hours (German)
'Sache
Thing, issue'; German ganze: whole)
Zaydeh (or Zayde)
grandfather (possibly a Slavonic word, cf. Polish dziadek, meaning "grandfather")
Zaftig or Zoftig
plump, chubby, full-figured (German saftig, meaning juicy), especially with a child or an attractive woman

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 beygl) (OED, MW)
blintz: a sweet cheese-filled crepe (Yiddish blintse from Russian "" bliny) (AHD)
bris: the circumcision of a male child. (from Hebrew brith 'covenant') (OED, MW)
boychik: boy, young man. (English boy + Eastern Yiddish -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')[2] (MW, OED)
chutzpah: nerve, guts, daring, audacity, effrontery (Yiddish khutspe, from Hebrew) (AHD)
daven: to recite Jewish liturgical prayers (Yiddish davnen) (AHD)
dreck: worthless, distasteful, or nonsensical material (Yiddish drek, from Middle High German drec) (AHD)
dybbuk: the malevolent spirit of a dead person that enters and controls a living body until exorcised (from Hebrew dibbuk, 'a latching-onto') (AHD)
fleishig: made with meat (Yiddish fleyshik 'meaty', from fleysh 'meat', cf. German fleischig 'meaty') (MW)
ganef or gonif: thief, scoundrel, rascal (Yiddish ganev or ganef 'thief', from Hebrew gannav). (AHD)
gelt: money; chocolate coins eaten on Hanukkah ( 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 glem, but influenced in pronunciation by Yiddish goylem) (OED, MW)
goy: a Gentile, term for someone not of the Jewish faith or people (Yiddish , plural or goyim; from Hebrew or goyim meaning 'nations', plural of
goy 'nation') (AHD)
haimish (also heimish): home-like, friendly, folksy (Yiddish heymish, cf. German heimisch) (AHD)
handel /hndl/: to bargain ("If you handel long enough, you'll get a good price."); cf. German handeln[3]
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.
kasha: porridges (from , the plural form Yiddish " kash" which is derived from a Slavic word meaning porridge: )[4]Polish buckwheat groats.
khazeray; also chazeray, or chozzerai: ( /khoz zair EYE/ ) food that is awful; junk, trash; anything disgusting, even loathsome (Yiddish , from
Heb. " khazir," pig)[5][6]
kibitz: to offer unwanted advice, e.g. to someone playing cards; to converse idly, hence a kibitzer, gossip (Yiddish kibetsn; cf. German kiebitzen, related
to Kiebitz 'lapwing') (OED, MW)
kike : a derogatory slur used to refer to Jews. Possibly from Yiddish ( 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 among non-English speaking immigrants).[citation needed]
klutz: clumsy person (from Yiddish klots 'wooden beam', cf. German Klotz) (OED, MW)
knish: doughy snack consisting mainly of potato ( is a Yiddish word that was derived from the Ukrainian )
kosher: correct according to Jewish law, normally used in reference to Jewish dietary laws; (slang) appropriate, legitimate (originally from Hebrew
kaer,kasher) (AHD)
kvell: to express great pleasure combined with pride (Yiddish 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 kvetshn 'press, squeeze', cf. German quetschen 'squeeze')
(OED, MW)[7] There is also a connection to the Hebrew and Aramaic radix "k.w.z", meaning "squeeze".[8]
latke: potato pancake, especially during Hanukkah (from Yiddish , from either Ukrainian or Russian meaning "patch") (AHD)
Litvak: a Lithuanian Jew (OED)
lox: cured salmon (from Yiddish laks 'salmon'; cf. German Lachs), often used loosely to refer to smoked salmon (OED,MW)
mamzer: bastard (from Yiddish or Hebrew ( ) OED)
maven: expert; when used in a negative sense: a know-it-all; enthusiast (from Yiddish meyvn, from Hebrew mevin'understand') (OED, MW)
mazel tov, also mazal tov: congratulations! (Yiddish mazl-tov, from Hebrew mazzl t
v: mazzl 'fortune' or 'sign of the Zodiac (constellation)' +
t
v 'good') (OED, MW:Hebrew)
megillah: a tediously detailed discourse (from Yiddish megile 'lengthy document, scroll [esp. the Book of Esther]', from Hebrew mgill 'scroll')
(OED, MW)
mensch: an upright man; a decent human being (from Yiddish mentsh 'person', cf. German Mensch) (OED, MW)
meshuga, also meshugge, meshugah, meshuggah: crazy (Yiddish meshuge, from Hebrew mugga) (OED, MW). Also used as the
nouns meshuggeneh and meshuggener for a crazy woman and man, respectively.
meshugaas, also mishegaas or mishegoss: Crazy or senseless activity or behavior; craziness (Yiddish meshugaas, from Hebrew muggaath, a form of
the above) (OED, AHD)
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 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 minyen, from Hebrew minyn) (OED, MW:Hebrew)
mishpocha: extended family (Yiddish mishpokhe, from Hebrew miph) (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
nakhes, from Hebrew nahath 'contentment') (OED)
narrischkeit: foolishness, nonsense (Yiddish , from nar 'fool', cf. German nrrisch 'foolish') (OED)
nebbish, also nebbich: an insignificant, pitiful person; a nonentity (from Yiddish interjection nebekh 'poor thing!', fromCzech neboh) (OED, MW)
noodge, also nudzh: to pester, nag, whine; as a noun, a pest or whiner (from Yiddish nudyen, from Polish or Russian) (OED)
nosh: snack (noun or verb) (Yiddish nashn, cf. German naschen) (OED, MW)
nu: multipurpose interjection often analogous to "well?" or "so?" (Yiddish nu, perhaps akin to Russian "" (nu) or German na='well'(OED)
nudnik: a pest, "pain in the neck"; a bore (Yiddish nudnik, from the above nudyen; cf. Polishnudne, 'boring') (OED, MW)
oy or oy vey: interjection of grief, pain, or horror (Yiddish oy vey 'oh, pain!' or "oh, woe"; cf. German oh weh) (OED)
pareve: containing neither meat nor dairy products (from Yiddish ( ( parev(e)) (OED, MW)
pisher: a nobody, an inexperienced person (Yiddish pisher, from pishn 'piss', cf. German pissenor dialectal German pischen) (OED)
potch: spank, slap, smack (Yiddish patshn; cf. German patschen 'slap') (OED)
plotz: to burst, as from strong emotion (from Yiddish platsn 'crack', cf. German platzen) (OED)
putz: (vulgar) a penis, term used as an insult (from Yiddish pots) (AHD)
schav: A chilled soup made of sorrel. (AHD) (via Yiddish from Polish Szczaw)
schlemiel: an inept clumsy person; a bungler; a dolt (Yiddish shlemil from Hebrew " ineffective") (OED, MW)
schlep: to drag or haul (an object); to walk, esp. to make a tedious journey (from Yiddish shlepn; cf. German schleppen) (OED, MW)
schlimazel also schlemazl: a chronically unlucky person ( shlimazl, from Middle Dutch slimp 'crooked, bad'akin to Middle High German slimp 'awry',
orschlimm 'poor or lacking'and Hebrew mazzl 'luck', cf. German Schlamassel) (M-W;OED).[9] In June 2004, Yiddish schlimazel was one of the ten nonEnglish words that were voted hardest to translate by a British translation company.[10] In a classic Vaudeville skit, the schlemiel spills the soup into the
schlimazel's lap.
schlock: something cheap, shoddy, or inferior (perhaps from Yiddish shlak 'a stroke', cf. German Schlag) (OED, MW)
schlong: (vulgar) penis (from Yiddish shlang 'snake'; cf. German Schlange) (OED)
schlub: a clumsy, stupid, or unattractive person (Yiddish zhlob 'hick', perhaps from Polish b) (OED, MW)
schmaltz: melted chicken fat; excessive sentimentality (from Yiddish shmalts or German Schmalz) (OED, MW)
schmatta: a rag (from Yiddish 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 shmir 'smear'; cf. German schmieren) (OED, MW)
schmo: a stupid person. (an alteration of schmuck; see below) (OED, possibly influenced by Heb. , 'his or its name', indicating either anonymity or euphemism.
schmooze: to converse informally, make small talk or chat (from Yiddish shmuesn 'converse', from Hebrew shmth 'reports, gossip') (OED,MW)
schmuck: (vulgar) a contemptible or foolish person; a jerk; literally means 'penis' (from Yiddish shmok 'penis', maybe from Polish smok 'dragon') (AHD)

schmutter: clothing; rubbish (from Yiddish shmate 'rag', as above) (OED)

schmutz: dirt (from Yiddish 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 shnuk 'snout'; cf. Northern German Schnucke 'sheep') (OED)
schnorrer: beggar, esp. "one who wheedles others into supplying his wants" (Yiddish shnorer, cf. German Schnorrer) (OED, MW)
schnoz or schnozz also schnozzle: a nose, especially a large nose (perhaps from Yiddish shnoyts 'snout', cf. German Schnauze) (OED, MW)
schvartze: term used to denote Black people; (from Yiddish 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 abbth) (AHD)
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
amm 'attendant') (OED, MW)
shamus: a detective (possibly from shammes, or possibly from the Irish name Seamus) (OED, Macquarie)
shegetz: (derogatory) a young non-Jewish male (Yiddish or sheygets, from Hebrew eqes '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 ikkr) (OED)
shiksa or shikse: (often derogatory) a young non-Jewish woman (Yiddish shikse, a derivative of the above sheygets, from Polish siksa) (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 (Yiddish shtetl 'town', diminutive of shtot 'city'; cf. German Stdtl,
South German / Austrian colloquial diminutive of Stadt, city) (AHD)
shtiebel: (Yiddish: shtibl, pl. shtiebelekh or shtiebels, meaning "little house" or "little room"; cf. German Stbel, Stblein) 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 shtik 'piece'; cf. German Stck 'piece') (AHD)
shtup: vulgar slang, to have sexual intercourse (from Yiddish " 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 shul literally 'school'; plural 'shuln'; cf.
Middle High German schuol, school; cf. German Schule 'school')
spiel or shpiel: a sales pitch or speech intended to persuade (from Yiddish shpil 'play' or German Spiel 'play') (AHD)
spritz: (noun) a sprinkling or spray of liquid; a small amount of liquid. (verb) to spray, sprinkle, or squirt lightly, cf. German spritzen 'to sprinkle, spray, inject' (Yiddish
" shprits" (the noun) and " shpritsn" (the verb).)
tchotchke: knickknack, trinket, curio (from Yiddish tsatske, tshatshke, from Polish cacko) (OED, MW)
tref or trayf or traif: not kosher (Yiddish treyf, from Hebrew t
rf 'carrion') (AHD)
tzimmes: a sweet stew of vegetables and fruit; a fuss, a confused affair, a to-do (Yiddish tsimes) (OED, MW)
tsuris: troubles, grief (from Yiddish tsores or tsoris,[11] from Hebrew tsarot 'troubles') (AHD)
tukhus: buttocks, bottom, rear end (from Yiddish tokhes, from Hebrew tahath '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)
yarmulke: round cloth skullcap worn by observant Jews (from Yiddish yarmlke, from Polish jarmuka and Ukrainian yarmulka (skullcap), from
theTurkish word yamurluk (raincoat; oilskin) (OED, MW; see also yarmulke), or possibly a combination of the two Hebrew words yira (fear,awe) and melech (king)
which together would mean fear of God.
Yekke: (mildly derogatory) a German Jew (Yiddish Yeke (jacket), cf. German Jacke '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 yente, from a given name) (OED, MW)
Yiddish: the Yiddish language (from Yiddish yidish 'Jewish', cf. German jdisch) (AHD)
yontef also yom tov: a Jewish holiday on which work is forbidden, e.g. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach (from Yiddish - yontef 'holiday', from Hebrew
ym t v 'good day') (OED)
yutz: a fool (NPD)
zaftig: pleasingly plump, buxom, full-figured, as a woman (from Yiddish zaftik 'juicy'; cf. German saftig 'juicy') (OED, MW)