shiksa

American  

[shik-suh] / ˈʃɪk sə /

Or shikse

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 British  

/ 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.

Etymology

Origin of shiksa

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

Example Sentences

Take Christy, the shiksa protagonist of “Mistletoe & Menorahs,” who in eight days — naturally — must become a Hanukkah expert to impress a Jewish prospective client and land an account.

From New York Times

As she recalled, “I’m not Jewish, not from New York, and I have a small shiksa nose.”

From Washington Times

And Mel thinks: ‘Wow, the biggest shiksa in the world! We thought the album was too Jewish but if she can get it, anyone can!’

From The Guardian

In “American Pastoral,” how irresistible a shiksa could be, not just because of her beauty and the health she would surely hand down to your children, but because of the baggage she wouldn’t.

From New York Times

Matt’s fiancée, Tracy, is a flaxen-haired model with a bleeding heart, “every Jewish boy’s shiksa fantasy writ large.”

From New York Times