gezunterheyt

Alternative Spellings

gesunteheit, gezunteheit

Definitions

• "Fine, go ahead" (ironic).
• lit., while in good health

Example Sentences

• "If that's what they think, then, gezunteheit, live and be well." (http://www.rationalistjudaism.com/2011/07/religion-blinded.html)
• "You want to go that badly? Gezunteheyt. I'll just stay home alone- and sit here in the dark."

Languages of Origin

Yiddish

Etymology

געזונטערהײט

Who Uses This

Jews: Jews of diverse religious backgrounds and organizational involvements
Older: Jews who are middle-aged and older
Ashkenazim: Jews with Ashkenazi heritage

Regions

North America

Dictionaries

Dictionary of Jewish Usage: A Guide to the Use of Jewish Terms, by Sol Steinmetz (Lanham, MD, 2005).

Notes

Pronounced ge-ZUN-ta-HATE. (U has same vowel as u in put). Used in several Yiddish expressions, sometimes used whole in Jewish English: Es gezunteheit (eat in health), Shlof gezunteheit (sleep well), Gey gezunteheyt (go in good health).