schlemiel en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ʃləˈmiːl/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
Borrowed from Yiddish שלימיל (shlimil).
Meanings
-
(Jewish, US, slang) A loser or a fool.
On Jewish Heritage Day, there was ample time to debate whether the Mets are schlemiels or schlimazels with the home team down 8-1 after five. Fans were given shirts that read “Let’s Go Mets” in Hebrew, but “Oy vey!” was more appropriate.
2004 August 30, Michael Morrissey, “METS GET SLAMMED AGAIN – VENTURA GRANNY KEYS DODGER ROUT”, in New York Post:In that series, creator/writer/star Dildarian played the titular Tim, a 20-something laconic schlemiel living in New York with his girlfriend, Amy — a “Curb Your Enthusiasm”-type existence peppered with awkward situations.
2021 September 29, Michael Starr, “Steve Dildarian returns with wry ‘Ten Year Old Tom’ on HBO Max”, in New York Post:
- (Jewish, US, slang) A person who is clumsy or who hurts others emotionally.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| shlemihl | alternative | lexicographic | |
| schlemiels | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| schlemihl | alternative | lexicographic | |
| shlemiel | alternative | lexicographic |
Relateds
schlimazel · schmendrick · schmuck
Translations (8)
pl przegryw (clumsy person) · he שלומיאל (clumsy person) · pl oferma (clumsy person) · pl nieudacznik (clumsy person) · nl schlemiel (clumsy person) · eo ŝlemilo (clumsy person) · de Schlemihl (clumsy person) · yi שלימיל (clumsy person)