Yiddish

American  

[yid-ish] / ˈjɪd ɪʃ /

noun

1. a Germanic language of Ashkenazi Jews, based on Middle High German dialects with an admixture of vocabulary from Hebrew, Aramaic, the Slavic languages, and Old French and Old Italian, written in Hebrew letters, and spoken mainly in eastern and central Europe and by Jewish emigrants from these regions and their descendants.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Yiddish.

Yiddish British  

/ ˈjɪdɪʃ /

noun

1. a language spoken as a vernacular by Jews in Europe and elsewhere by Jewish emigrants, usually written in the Hebrew alphabet. Historically, it is a dialect of High German with an admixture of words of Hebrew, Romance, and Slavonic origin, developed in central and E Europe during the Middle Ages

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adjective

1. in or relating to this language

Etymology

Origin of Yiddish

First recorded in 1885–90; from Yiddish yidish; see yid, -ish ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Yiddish

There is an old Yiddish joke: the schlemiel spills the soup; the schlimazel is the person it lands on.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

He somehow blended perfectly with her Chinese family, all eating latkes together and mixing Yiddish and Shanghainese words.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

The Bundists ran social programs that fostered Yiddish culture.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

He recorded a collection of Yiddish songs, “Brighton Beach Memories,” in 2003, and a children’s album, “Waking Up Is Hard to Do,” in 2009.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026

Dave knew only a little Yiddish and no Polish, so he did more pointing than speaking as he directed us from the port to the train station.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson