bupkis

American  

[buhp-kuhs, buhp-kis] / ˈbʌp kəs, ˈbʌpˌkɪs /

Also bupkes, or bubkes

noun

1. nothing.

   They've told us bupkis—we're going to have to find out what's going on for ourselves.

2. very little; the smallest amount.

   It was a revolutionary piece of technology, and yet the inventor sold it for bupkis.

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Etymology

Origin of bupkis

First recorded in 1935–40; from Yiddish bobkes, plural of bobke “piece of goat excrement, worthless thing,” literally “little bean,” from Slavic, equivalent to Polish bób “broad bean” + -ke, diminutive suffix; see also bean ( def. )

Example Sentences

So charging $1 on a $98 barrel is bupkis to oil producers and consumers, while it adds up to real money over time for the Iranians.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026

As Harris says in the film, "Movies are bupkis."

From Salon • Jul. 21, 2020

In other words, another week or so will pass with the legislature having provided bupkis in the form of aid or stimulus to combat the pandemic that has shut down the world.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2020

How nice it would be to wake up on publication day and discover that Jared Kushner had mended an age-old hatred, leaving me with bupkis to talk about on NPR?

From Washington Post • Nov. 13, 2017

Arbitration often provides bupkis, which is probably why businesses are so enamored of it.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 27, 2017