haimish

or heim·ish

[ hey-mish ]

adjective

, Slang.

1. homey; cozy and unpretentious.

Word History and Origins

Origin of haimish¹

First recorded in 1925–30; from Yiddish heymish, Middle High German heimisch, Old High German heimisc “pertaining to the home”; home, -ish ¹

Example Sentences

The song is despondent yet strangely cheerful, in a haimish, middle-aged way.

From The New Yorker

Grounded in shared sobriety and a wry take on fame, the couple tease each other but project a haimish domesticity.

From Los Angeles Times

Grounded in shared sobriety and a wry take on fame, the couple tease each other but project a haimish domesticity.

From Los Angeles Times

Cherry-print wallpaper, sunny yellows, lush houseplants, decorations approaching kitsch without succumbing to it—everything conveys haimish order and care.

From The New Yorker

I happen to despise Bernie Taupin’s habit of lyrically referencing the song you’re listening to—it feels like a lack of effort, frankly—but this catchy and haimish number, from 1973, which begins “Welcome to my Christmas song,” moves beyond that somewhat mercenary greeting into a realm of communal pleasures.

From The New Yorker