English
luftmensch
Luftmensch comes from Yiddish לופֿטמענטש.
- Yiddishmodernלופֿטמענטשluftmentsh
- Englishtodayluftmensch
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Yiddishmodernלופֿטמענטשluftmentsh
- Englishtodayluftmensch
A compound of לופֿט ‘air’ + מענטש ‘person’
Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- ‘to peel, break off, damage’
Proto-Indo-European *lubʰ-tu-s
Proto-Germanic *luftuz ‘roof’
Proto-West Germanic *luftu ‘roof’
Old High German luft
Middle High German luft
Yiddish לופֿט ‘air’
Proto-Indo-European *mon- ‘man’
Proto-Germanic *mann- ‘human, human being, person, individual’
Proto-Germanic *manniskaz ‘human’
Proto-West Germanic *mannisk
Old High German mennisko ‘a man’
Middle High German mensch
Yiddish מענטש ‘person’
first attested The word first appeared in Yiddish literature in the 1860s (Nicolas Vallois, The Luftmentsh as an economic metaphor for Jewish poverty: a rhetorical analysis) (as stated in the etymology)
The story
The word first appeared in Yiddish literature in the 1860s (Nicolas Vallois, The Luftmentsh as an economic metaphor for Jewish poverty: a rhetorical analysis).
Every English word from Yiddish לופֿטמענטש
Today it means
noun A person who is highly intellectual or contemplative but detached from practical affairs, especially the need to earn a living.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Yiddish לופֿטמענטש / luftmensch