alte kaker

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Pronunciations

alte kaker (AWL-teh KAH-ker) listen

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Definitions

  • n. Elderly person, old-timer; "A crotchety, fussy, ineffectual old man" (Rosten).

Example Sentences

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

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Languages of Origin

  • Yiddish

Etymology

  • אַלטער קאַקער alter kaker 'lit. old shitter'

      • 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
      • Great Britain
      • South Africa
      • Australia / New Zealand

      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).

      Alternative Spellings

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

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.

    Often abbreviated to A.K. / AK.

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