alte kaker

Alternative Spellings

altakaka, alte kakker, alter kaker, alter kocker, alte kocker, alta kaker, alta kaka

Definitions

• elderly person, old-timer [literally "old shitter"] "A crotchety, fussy, ineffectual old man." (Rosten)

Example Sentences

• "We'll have to have the program early, so the alte kakers can come."

Languages of Origin

Yiddish

Etymology

אַלטער קאַקער alter kaker

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

The New Joys of Yiddish, by Leo Rosten and Lawrence Bush (New York, 2003[1968]).
The JPS Dictionary of Jewish Words, by Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic, (Philadelphia, 2001)

Notes

"Alte" used with "kaker" is incorrect according to Standard Yiddish grammar (alte is feminine and kaker is masculine), but correct in Jewish English. In Standard Yiddish, the phrase would decline as "alter kaker" in nominative and "altn kaker" in accusative and dative. This expression was once vulgar but now is not.