Jewy

Pronunciations

Definitions

  • n. Demonstating stereotypical or conspicuous appearance or behaviors that identify one as a Jew.

  • n. Highly identified Jewishly, either outwardly in terms of actions and affiliations, or inwardly based on self-definition.

Example Sentences

  • "Too Jewy? I spent the weekend at my niece's Bat Mitzvah in Phoenix and I feel like I've had my fill of Jewish for the year." -- Marc Maron

  • "Ben Stiller has made a career out of playing distressed Jewy (as opposed to Jewish) guys who snag lovely un-Jewy (and decidedly un-Jewish) women." -- New Jersey Jewish News

  • "He grew up on Manhattan’s Upper West Side (officially a Jewish activity, even if you don’t do anything Jew-y)."

    (The Forward: source)

Languages of Origin

  • English

Who Uses This

  • Jews: Jews of diverse religious backgrounds and organizational involvements
  • Ethnic: Jews whose Jewish identity is primarily ethnic

Regions

  • North America
  • Australia / New Zealand
  • Great Britain

Dictionaries

  • None

Alternative Spellings

Jew-y, Jewwy

Notes

  • There are two distinct senses of "Jewy." The first can sometimes be disparaging, since it refers to stereotypical behaviors or qualities. The second suggests someone or something that is the opposite of assimilated, and can be either positive or negative, depending on the user.

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