bupkis
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English[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
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[edit]
Noun[edit]
bupkis (uncountable)
- (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?
Translations[edit]
absolutely nothing
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Further reading[edit]
- Jonathon Green (2023), “bupkes n.”, in Green's Dictionary of Slang
- Eric Partridge (2005), “bupkes; bupkis”, in Tom Dalzell and Terry Victor, editors, The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, volume 1 (A–I), London; New York, N.Y.: Routledge, →ISBN, page 303.
Anagrams[edit]
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