schmuck

[ shmuhk ]

noun

, Slang.

1. an obnoxious or contemptible person.

schmuck

/ ʃmʌk /

noun

1. slang.
   a stupid or contemptible person; oaf

Word History and Origins

Origin of schmuck¹

First recorded in 1890–95, schmuck is from the Yiddish word shmok (vulgar) literally, “penis” (of uncertain origin)

Word History and Origins

Origin of schmuck¹

from Yiddish schmuck penis, from German Schmuck decoration, from Middle High German smucken to press into

Example Sentences

It’s the reminder some poor schmuck had Abilene Christian, and so we owe it to that man to properly document what happened and try our best to laugh in a way that’s comforting.

From Los Angeles Times

“And I’ve always loved that the ultimate arbiter of any performance has been the audience and not some schmuck producer or executive producer.”

From Los Angeles Times

"They called me the schmuck from Hanover," he laughs.

From BBC

And on the sublime Mariners Apartment Complex, she even addresses the people - critics, boyfriends, record-industry bigwigs - who "mistook my kindness for weakness", the not-exactly-hidden subtext being: "That won't happen again, schmucks."

From BBC

But it was Warner Bros. studio honcho Jack L. Warner who perhaps best summed up the lowly status of writers, calling them: “schmucks with Underwoods.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• asshole