Hebrew Language - English Words of Yiddish Origin

This is a list of English language words of Yiddish language origin, many of which have entered the language by way of American English. Spelling of some of these words may be variable (for example, schlep is also seen as shlep, schnoz as shnozz, and so on).

It is worth noting that some of these words are in fact of Hebrew origin but have entered the English language via their Yiddish forms. Some of these words have Indo-European roots (which can be seen by comparing them with similar Dutch or German, Russian or Ukrainian words), but they most likely entered the English vocabulary via Yiddish.

bagel
from בײגל beygl - a ring-shaped bread roll made by boiling then baking the dough
blintz
a sweet cheese-filled crepe (from Yiddish בלינצע blintse)
bris
the circumcision of a male child
chutzpah
audacity, effrontery (Hebrew via Yiddish חוצפּה khutspe)
dybbuk
the malevolent spirit of a dead person which enters and controls a living body until exorcised (from Hebrew דיבוק dibbuk, that which clings)
dreck
(Vulgar) Worthless material, especially merchandise; "crap"
frummer
(British English slang): a Hasidic Jew (from Yiddish "frum", religious)
gelt
chocolate coins eaten on Chanukah (from Yiddish געלט gelt 'money')
kibitz
to offer unwanted advice, e.g. to someone playing cards; to converse idly, gossip (from Yiddish קיבעצען kibetsn)
klutz
clumsy person (from Yiddish קלאָץ klots 'wooden beam')
kosher
conforming to Jewish dietary laws; (slang) appropriate, legitimate (originally from Hebrew כּשר)
kvetch
complain (from Yiddish קװעטשן kvetshn 'press, squeeze')
latke
potato pancake, especially during Chanuka (from Yiddish, from either Ukrainian or Russian)
lox
smoked salmon (from Yiddish לאַקס laks 'salmon')
maven
expert (from Yiddish מבֿין meyvn, from Hebrew mevin 'one who understands')
minyan
the quorum of ten adult (i.e., 13 or older) Jewish males who are necessary for the holding of a public worship service
mishmash
hodgepodge (from Yiddish מישמאַש mishmash)
nosh
snack (from Yiddish נאַשן nashn)
schicker or schickered
drunk, intoxicated
schlep
to drag or haul (an object); to make a tedious journey (from Yiddish שלעפּן shlepn)
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
Vulgar. penis (from Yiddish שלאַנג shlang 'snake')
schmaltz
excessive sentimentality; chicken fat or drippings used as a shmeer on bread (from Yiddish שמאַלץ shmalts)
schmeer
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 schmeer." (from שמיר)
schmo
a stupid person. (an alteration of schmuck; see below)
schmooze
to converse informally (from Yiddish שמועסן shmuesn)
schmuck
a jerk, an unpleasant person (from Yiddish שמאָק shmok 'penis')
schnook
an easily imposed-upon or cheated person, a pitifully meek person. a particularly gullible person. (from Yiddish שנוק)
schnoz
a nose, especially a large nose. (also spelled from Yiddish שנויץ shnoits 'snout')
shammes
the beadle or sexton of a synagogue, possibly contributory to the American slang word "shamus," for a policeman, by way of the Irish "Seamus" (from Yiddish shames, an attendant) (originally from Hebrew שמש shamash 'servant')
shtick
comic theme; a defining habit or distinguishing feature (from Yiddish שטיק 'a piece of something')
schtupp
(vulgar) to have sex with
spiel
a lengthy talk (from Yiddish שפּיל shpil 'play')
tchotchke
knickknack, trinket (from Yiddish טשאַטשקע tshatshke)

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_Yiddish_origin

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