ימח־שמו

Yiddish

Etymology

From Ashkenazi Hebrew ימח שמו (yimákh shmóy, “may his name be obliterated”).

Interjection

ימח־שמו • (yemakh-shmoy)

1. Traditional Jewish curse, appended to the names of infamous enemies of the Jewish people: May his name be erased.

   Synonyms: ימח־שמו־וזכרו (yemakh-shmoy-vezikhroy), יש״ו (y.sh.v.)

   היטלער, ימח־שמו, איז געשטאָרבן אין בערלין.

   hitler, yemakh-shmoy, iz geshtorbn in berlin.

   Hitler, curse his name, died in Berlin.

Derived terms

• ימח־שמוניק (yemakh-shmoynik, “scoundrel, villain”)