Back to dictionary
Schlimazel
shli-MAH-zel • Noun
שלימזל
Snappy Essence
The chronically unlucky target of mishaps; the one the soup always lands on.
Nuance
You didn't do anything wrong. You sat perfectly still, but the universe conspired to make the falling plate hit you directly.
Pro-Pronunciation Tip
Punch the middle 'MAH' (like mom), finish with a clean 'zel'.
Linguistic Note (YIVO)
Standard YIVO transliteration: shlimazl
Etymology: A compound: shlim (bad, from German schlimm) + mazl (luck, from Hebrew). Literally 'bad-luck-having.'
Examples in the wild
Classic
"The schlemiel dropped the plate, and the poor schlimazel got the soup on his new coat."
Modern Yinglish
"I sat down and the table leg snapped, dumping hot coffee into my lap. Absolute schlimazel energy."
Mishegas Meter6/10