Etymology

nebbish

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Today it means: One who is fearful, indecisive and timid, especially in making decisions and plans, in discussions, debates, arguments, and confrontations, and in taking responsibility. Full definition →

Yiddish נעביש
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The story

  1. Yiddish · derived fromנעביש
  2. English todaynebbish

From American Yiddish נעביש (nebish), from נעבעך (nebekh, “poor, unfortunate”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.