Schmo
/ʃmoʊ/noun
A foolish, insignificant, or socially awkward person.
Did you know?Schmo is Yiddish slang that passed into American English, and its exact older source is uncertain—often linked to a reshaped form of a word for a fool or simpleton, which is why it carries that sneering, comic sting.
Etymological Timeline
19th–20th Century
Yiddish
שמאָ
“A fool, simpleton, or contemptible person”
Early 20th Century
American English
schmo
“An inept, dull, or unimportant person”
Mid 20th Century
American English
schmo
“A mildly insulting slang term for a sucker or loser”
Modern English
English
schmo
“A foolish or ordinary person”