shiksa

or shik·se

[ shik-suh ]

noun

, Yiddish: Often Disparaging.

1. a term used especially by a Jew to refer to a girl or woman who is not Jewish.
2. a term used especially by a Jew to refer to a Jewish girl or woman whose attitudes, behavior, or appearance are felt to resemble those of a gentile.
3. a term used by an observant Jew to refer to a Jewish woman who is not religious or is ignorant of Judaism.

shiksa

/ ˈʃɪksə /

noun

1. a non-Jewish girl
2. a Jewish girl who fails to live up to traditional Jewish standards

Sensitive Note

This term is often used with disparaging intent, especially when a Jew is implying that the gentile woman is an outsider, not “one of our own.” On the other hand, use of the term in positive contexts such as blonde shiksa goddess can reflect a negative view of Jewish women as unattractive, even though these beautiful shiksas may be luring Jewish men away from their religion. To counter this view of the gentile woman as seductive temptress, shiksa is used by some non-Jewish women as a positive term of self-reference.

Word History and Origins

Origin of shiksa¹

Yiddish shikse, feminine of sheygets non-Jewish youth, from Hebrew sheqes defect

Example Sentences

"A story about a Jewish guy from the Bronx living with his shiksa wife" in the waspy world of southern California was, he says, “exactly the right story to be telling post 9/11.”

From Salon

It’s she who cries “shiksa!” on seeing Joanne with Noah at temple.

From Los Angeles Times

“Mom doesn’t like it when Bubbe calls her shiksa. Why do you let her? Why don’t you stand up for Mom?”

From Literature

Using a Yiddish expression for non-Jewish woman, Mr. Reiner told Brooks: “Well, there’s the biggest shiksa in the world. We must be all right.”

From Washington Post

He tells his friend that he’s going on a date with a shiksa, one who has been asking him penetrating questions.

From New York Times