yosem

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Pronunciations

yosum (YUH-sum) listen

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Definitions

  • n. An orphan; someone who has lost a parent.

Example Sentences

  • "It was hard for them to find money for the wedding since the groom is a yosem."

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Languages of Origin

  • Textual Hebrew
  • Yiddish

Etymology

  • TH יתום yatóm > Y יתום yósem 'orphan' (used for one who has lost one parent, not necessarily both)

      • 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
      • Great Britain

      Dictionaries

      • Yiddish and English: A Century of Yiddish in America, by Sol Steinmetz (Tuscaloosa, 1986).

      Alternative Spellings

      yetom

Notes

  • feminine: 'yetoma' or 'yesoyme'
    masculine plural: 'yesoymim'

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