nogoodnik
See also: no-goodnik
English
Etymology
From no good + -nik. Likely influenced by, evolved from, or borrowed directly into Yiddish from the Phono-semantic matching of Russian негодник (negodnik, “worthless person, reprobate, ne'er-do-well”))[1]
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /nəʊˈɡʊdnɪk/
- (General American) IPA(key): /noʊˈɡʊdnɪk/
Noun
nogoodnik (plural nogoodniks)
- A ne'er-do-well; an individual who is no good.
- 1984, Martin Amis, Money, Vintage 2005, p. 182:
- Lorne's role was that of Gary, the nogoodnik father.
- 1984, Martin Amis, Money, Vintage 2005, p. 182:
Synonyms
- bad guy, no-good, loser, miscreant, scoundrel
Related terms
- kibbutznik
- nudnik
- -nik
References
- “Nudnik, Nogoodnik & Nu: Russian Origin of 3 Yiddish Words at Bill Casselman's Canadian Word of the Day & Words of the World” (2007)