meshugana

American  

[muh-shoog-uh-nuh] / məˈʃʊg ə nə /

Also meshuggana,

noun

Slang.

1. a crazy person.

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Usage

What does meshugana mean? Meshugana is Yiddish slang for a person who acts in a crazy or nonsensical way. It can also be used as an adjective to describe such a person, or as a noun meaning nonsense.Yiddish is a dialect of German based on Hebrew. Some of its words have been borrowed into English as slang terms.Meshugana is typically used as an insult in a way that is intended to be funny, even if the insult is serious. Meshugana is also spelled meshuggana and meshuggener.Example: That meshugana almost ran me off the road!

Etymology

Origin of meshugana

1880–85; < Yiddish meshugener, equivalent to meshuga meshuga + epenthetic n + -er -er ¹

Example Sentences

Instead, he delivered the second time by reading the scene “like a real meshugana.”

From Washington Post

Eliot Feld’s charming company of young dancers, between the ages of 11 and 18, returns to the Joyce with a selection of his lively classics, including “Apple Pie,” “The Jig Is Up” and “Meshugana Dance.”

From New York Times

Twice a week since October, the chosen few at Ballet Tech — “the NYC Public School for Dance,” as it bills itself — have been rehearsing the Meshugana Dance and five other pieces for their upcoming June performance at the Joyce Theater.

From New York Times

The troupe of 60 young dancers — from age 11 to 17 — perform Mr. Feld’s “Meshugana Dance,” “The Jig Is Up,” “Upside Dance” and a premiere, “Pointing,” for four young women on point.

From New York Times

Ms. Leeds and her group will perform child-friendly, dance-worthy rock for ages 3 through 8 at this concert, offering tunes from their most recent albums, “Good Egg” and “Meshugana.”

From New York Times