klutz

See also: Klutz and Klütz

English

Etymology

From Yiddish קלאָץ (klots, “wooden beam”), cognate with German Klotz (“block, lump”). Doublet of cleat.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /klʌts/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

  Rhymes: -ʌts

Noun

klutz (plural klutzes)

1. (US, derogatory) A clumsy or stupid person.
   • "Mel, back home we'd call you a klutz."
     Melissa: "Use a lot of Yiddish back in Texas, do you?"

     — Ultimate Daredevil and Elektra.

   • "Out of [one abortion doctor's] first six months of work, there are nine malpractice suits ... After it was apparent the guy was a klutz, they kept using him, and trying to cover for him, because they couldn't find another provider."

     — Dr. Robert Crist, abortion doctor, St. Petersburg Times, June 3, 1990

Derived terms

• klutzhood
• klutzish
• klutzy

Translations

a clumsy or stupid person

• Dutch: kluns (nl) m, klos (nl) m
• Finnish: tunari (fi)
• French: maladroit (fr) m
• German: (ungehobelter) Klotz (de) m, Trampel m, Tollpatsch (de) m, Trottel (de) m
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Icelandic: klossi (is) m
• Maori: pahi mohoao
• Polish: ciamajda (pl) m or f, oferma (pl) m or f, fajtłapa (pl) m or f
• Russian: недотёпа (ru) m or f (nedotjópa), неуме́ха (ru) m or f (neuméxa), простофи́ля (ru) m or f (prostofílja), растя́па (ru) m or f (rastjápa), растеря́ха (ru) m or f (rasterjáxa), у́валень (ru) m (úvalenʹ)