Dictionary

klutz en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /klʌts/
• klŭts
• /klʊts/ (Northern-England)

Etymology

From Yiddish קלאָץ (klots, literally “wooden beam”); cognate to German Klotz (“block, lump”). Doublet of clot and clod.

Meanings

1. (US, derogatory) A clumsy or stupid person.
   • Well, that's all right, then, Brian. Sit down. Have a scone. Make yourself at home. You klutz! 1979, Monty Python's Life of Brian, spoken by Reg (John Cleese):
   • "Out of [one abortion doctor's] first six months of work, there are nine malpractice suits ... After it was apparent the guy was a klutz, they kept using him, and trying to cover for him, because they couldn't find another provider." 1990 June 3, Dr. Robert Crist, abortion doctor, quotee, St. Petersburg Times:
   • I bumped into the coffee table. "Sorry about that table. Don't worry, you should see me, Qanta. I am the klutz! I am always doing that!" She giggled at her clumsiness while I giggled at a Saudi using idiomatic Yiddish. 2008, Qanta A. Ahmed, In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdom:
   • "Mel, back home we'd call you a klutz." / Melissa: "Use a lot of Yiddish back in Texas, do you?" 2003, Greg Rucka, Ultimate Daredevil and Elektra:

Forms

Deriveds

klutziness · klutzish · klutzily · klutzy · klutzhood

Translations (36)

mi pahi mohoao (a clumsy or stupid person) · ru растя́па (a clumsy or stupid person) · de Tollpatsch (a clumsy or stupid person) · sv drulle (a clumsy or stupid person) · de Trampel (a clumsy or stupid person) · cs ťulpas (a clumsy or stupid person) · fr maladroit (a clumsy or stupid person) · ru простофи́ля (a clumsy or stupid person) · ca pocatraça (a clumsy or stupid person) · is klossi (a clumsy or stupid person) · fi tunari (a clumsy or stupid person) · ru неуме́ха (a clumsy or stupid person) · ru недотёпа (a clumsy or stupid person) · uk тюхті́й (a clumsy or stupid person) · uk розтеле́па (a clumsy or stupid person) · pl ciamajda (a clumsy or stupid person) · nl klos (a clumsy or stupid person) · uk те́лепень (a clumsy or stupid person) · nl kluns (a clumsy or stupid person) · pl oferma (a clumsy or stupid person) · hu balfácán (a clumsy or stupid person) · cs poleno (a clumsy or stupid person) · pl fajtłapa (a clumsy or stupid person) · hu balfék (a clumsy or stupid person) · uk маму́ла (a clumsy or stupid person) · pdt Schlenkjafoot (a clumsy or stupid person) · uk незгра́ба (a clumsy or stupid person) · nb kløne (a clumsy or stupid person) · cs nemehlo (a clumsy or stupid person) · ru у́валень (a clumsy or stupid person) · uk бевзь (a clumsy or stupid person) · de (ungehobelter) Klotz (a clumsy or stupid person) · pdt Pultafoot (a clumsy or stupid person) · uk вайло́ (a clumsy or stupid person) · ru растеря́ха (a clumsy or stupid person) · de Trottel (a clumsy or stupid person)