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