Word of the Day : September 7, 2018

schmooze \SHMOOZ\ verb

Definition

1 : to converse informally : chat; also : to chat in a friendly and persuasive manner especially so as to gain favor, business, or connections

2 : to engage in informal conversation with

Did You Know?

Schmooze (also spelled shmooze) is one of a small, but significant, number of words borrowed from Yiddish that have become relatively common members of the English language. Other such words include chutzpah, lox, maven, mensch, nebbish, schlep, and schlock. Though classified as a High German language, Yiddish also borrows from the Slavic and Latinate languages as well as from Aramaic and Hebrew. It was the Hebrew shěmu’ōth ("news, rumor") that provided Yiddish with the noun shmues ("talk") and the verb shmuesn ("to talk or chat"). Although originally used in English to indicate simply talking in an informal and warm manner, schmooze has since also taken on the suggestion of discussion for the purposes of gaining something.

Aired September 7, 2018

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