schlemiel

English

Alternative forms

• schlemihl, shlemiel, shlemihl

Etymology

Borrowed from Yiddish שלימיל (shlimil).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃləˈmiːl/
• Rhymes: -iːl

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

schlemiel (plural schlemiels)

1. A loser or a fool.
2. A person who is clumsy or who hurts others emotionally.

Translations

clumsy person

• Dutch: schlemiel (nl) m
• Esperanto: ŝlemilo (eo)
• German: Schlemihl (de) m
• Hebrew: שלומיאל (he) m (shlumiél)
• Polish: nieudacznik (pl) m, oferma (pl) f
• Yiddish: שלימיל m (shlimil)

See also

• schlimazel
• schmuck
• schmendrick

Dutch

Alternative forms

• sjlemiel

Etymology

From Yiddish שלימיל (shlimil).

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

schlemiel m (plural schlemielen, diminutive schlemieltje n)

1. (Netherlands, informal) schlemiel