hashpa'ah

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Pronunciations

hashpa'ah (hahsh-pah-AH) listen

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Definitions

  • n. Motivating force, source for change in one's actions, influence.

  • n. Influence, or effect, particularly on one's character, development, and/or behaviors.

Example Sentences

  • "Just walking in the city can have a bad hashpa'ah on you." (Weiser)

  • "My brother's encouragement was a real hashpa'ah for me to learn more." (Weiser)

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Languages of Origin

  • Textual Hebrew
  • Yiddish

Etymology

  • TH השפעה hashpa'a, lit. 'influence' > Y השפּעה hashpoe

      • Who Uses This

      • Orthodox: Jews who identify as Orthodox and observe halacha (Jewish law)
      • Older: Jews who are middle-aged and older
      • Ashkenazim: Jews with Ashkenazi heritage

      Regions

      • North America

      Dictionaries

      • Yiddish and English: A Century of Yiddish in America, by Sol Steinmetz (Tuscaloosa, 1986).
      • Frumspeak: The First Dictionary of Yeshivish, by Chaim Weiser (Northvale, 1995).

      Alternative Spellings

      hashpa'a, hashpoe, hashpo'e, hashpoeh, hashpo'eh, hashpaah, hashpaa

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