Schlemihl
See also: schlemihl
German
Etymology
19th century, from Yiddish שלימיל (shlimil). Further origin uncertain; see the Yiddish for more.
The rather odd spelling with -ih- follows the use of Adelbert von Chamisso in his well-known novella Peter Schlemihl (1813). Von Chamisso probably avoided Schlemiel because it could have suggested a trisyllabic pronunciation as in Gabriel (though he might have spelt *Schlemil).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈʃleːmiːl/
Audio: (file)
Noun
Schlemihl m (strong, genitive Schlemihls, plural Schlemihle)
Declension
Declension of Schlemihl [masculine, strong]