Where does “Schlamassel” come from?

Schlamassel (German) comes from Yiddish שלימזל, from Middle High German slīm, from Old High German slimb, from Proto-West Germanic *slimb, from Proto-Germanic slimbaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)lemb- — to droop; sag; hang loosely.

Schlamassel (German): trouble, difficult situation, misfortune

Definitions

  1. trouble, difficult situation, misfortune

Ancestry of “Schlamassel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Yiddishשלימזלbad luck, misfortune; unlucky person, luckless...
2Middle High Germanslīm
3Old High Germanslimb
4Proto-West Germanic*slimb
5Proto-Germanicslimbazaslant; sloping; askew; crooked; wrong
6Proto-Indo-European(s)lemb-to droop; sag; hang loosely
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)lemb-Every word from Proto-Germanic slimbazEvery word from Proto-West Germanic *slimb