שמאַראָוואָזניק

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Yiddish

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Russian шма́ра (šmára, prostitute) + вози́ть (vozítʹ, to carry, to transport) + -ник (-nik). It is formed in a humorous way, based on other words ending in -возник (-voznik), such as навозник (navoznik, dung transporter) and парово́зный (parovóznyj, locomotive) + -ник (-nik), since it rhymes.

Alternatively, from Middle High German smirn, from older smirwen, from Old High German smirwen, from Proto-West Germanic *smirwijan, from Proto-Germanic *smirwijaną (to smear, to anoint).

Noun

[edit]

שמאַראָוואָזניק (shmarovoznikm

  1. (derogatory, humorous) a pimp (a man who controls prostitutes and arranges clients for them)
  2. a grease-smeared person; a wagon greaser