Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nebbish” come from?

nebbish (English) comes from Yiddish נעביש, from Yiddish נעבעך, from Czech nebohý, from Proto-Slavic nebogъ, from Proto-Slavic ne, from Proto-Balto-Slavic nē, from Proto-Indo-European né — not; no.

nebbish (English): One who is fearful and timid, especially in...

Definitions

  1. One who is fearful and timid, especially in...

Ancestry of “nebbish”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Yiddishנעבישnebbish
2Yiddishנעבעךsadly, unfortunately; unfortunate person; unhappy...
3Czechnebohýpoor
4Proto-Slavicnebogъpoor; unfortunate
5Proto-Slavicnenot
6Proto-Balto-Slavicnē—
7Proto-Indo-Europeannénot; no

Words derived from “nebbish”

  • nebbishy
  • nebbishlike
Every word from Proto-Indo-European né →