Schlub
/ʃlʌb/noun
An unattractive, clumsy, or ineffectual person, especially one perceived as inelegant or unambitious.
Did you know?Schlub entered American English through Yiddish-speaking communities, but its deeper origin is uncertain; proposed links to Germanic words such as “slob” remain debated rather than proven.
Etymological Timeline
Early 20th Century
Yiddish
shlub
“A clumsy, inelegant, or unimpressive person; the likely source of the English word.”
Early 20th Century
American Yiddish
shlub
“A derogatory term for a shabby or ineffectual man, used in immigrant speech communities.”
1940s
English
schlub
“A dull, unattractive, or socially awkward person; recorded in American English slang.”
Late 20th Century
English
schlub
“A stereotypically ordinary, poorly dressed, or unsuccessful person.”
Modern English
English
schlub
“An informal, mildly insulting term for an inelegant or ineffectual person.”