שלימיל

Yiddish

Etymology

Unknown. One proposed etymology is that it comes from Hebrew שלא מועיל (“who is not helpful”), though such an etymology would be expected to yield *shloyml or *shlemoyl. Another is that it comes from the Biblical figure Shelumiel ben Tzurishadai, though it is unknown how he would have come to be associated with bungling.

Noun

שלימיל • (shlimil) m

1. ineffectual, inept person, bungler

Descendants

• → Dutch: schlemiel
• → English: schlemiel
• → German: Schlemihl
• → Hebrew: שלומיאל (shlumiél)