This week’s theme
Words borrowed from Yiddish

This week’s words
verklempt
yentz
potch
futz
schmatte

This week’s comments
AWADmail 762

Next week’s theme
Eponyms

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(SHMAH-tuh)

MEANING:

noun:
1. A rag.
2. An old, ragged article of clothing.
3. Any garment.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Yiddish schmatte, from Polish szmata (rag). Earliest documented use: 1970.

USAGE:

“Erica quickly retorts, ‘She’s Diane Sawyer. She goes into caves in Afghanistan with a shmatte on her head.’”
Kelli Marshall; Something’s Gotta Give; Journal of Popular Film & Television (Washington, DC); Spring 2009.

“Sidney Kimmel made his fortune in the schmatte business, building Jones Apparel, owner of such sensible clothing brands as Jones New York, Anne Klein, and Nine West.”
Dorothy Pomerantz; Rags to Riches (Not Exactly); Forbes (New York); Oct 11, 2010.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: