bupkis

bupkis

English

Alternative forms

• bobkes, bopkes, bubkes, bubkis, bupkas, bupkass, bupkes, bupkiss, bupkus

Etymology

Borrowed from Yiddish באָבקעס‎ (bobkes), plural of באָבקע‎ (bobke, “goat or sheep dropping”), from באָב‎ (bob, “bean”) +‎ ־קע‎ (-ke) calquing Polish bobek (“oval-shaped turd”), ultimately from Proto-Slavic *bobъ (“bean, fava bean”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbʌp.kɪs/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

• (Yiddish-influenced) IPA^(key): /ˈbɔp.kɪs/

Noun

bupkis (uncountable)

1. (US, slang) Absolutely nothing; nothing of value, significance, or substance.

   Synonyms: zilch; see also Thesaurus:nothing

   We searched for hours and found bupkis.

   • 1997, “Drinking in L.A.”, performed by Bran Van 3000:

     But we did nothing, absolutely bupkis that day / And I say, what the hell am I doing drinking in L.A. at 26?

   • 2022 April 20, John Leland, quoting Robin Solod, “How Loneliness Is Damaging Our Health”, in The New York Times‎, ISSN 0362-4331:

     She answered her own question. “Without the connection to other people,” she said, “you have bupkis.”

Translations

absolutely nothing

Danish: bar røv at trutte i c Faroese: ikki tað minsta Finnish: ei jälkeäkään Romanian: canci (ro), nexam Spanish: nada (es) Swedish: inte ett skvatt (sv) Yiddish: באָבקעס‎ (bobkes)

Further reading

• Jonathon Green (2023), “bupkes n.”, in Green's Dictionary of Slang

Anagrams

• Biskup