Nebbish
/ˈnɛbɪʃ/noun
A weak, timid, or ineffectual person.
Did you know?Nebbish comes from Yiddish, ultimately from Hebrew roots connected to being “dry” or “withered,” which is why it feels so perfectly like a word for someone socially shriveled.
Etymological Timeline
Hebrew
Heb
n-b-sh
“A root associated with drying up or withering.”
Yiddish
Yid
nebish
“A pitiable, weak, or ineffectual person.”
Late 19th Century
English
nebbish
“Borrowed into American English as slang for a timid, unassertive person.”
Modern English
Eng
nebbish
“A meek, awkward, or helpless-looking person.”