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Where does the word "meshugana" come from? It comes from Hebrew meshuga, passing through Yiddish before entering English (1900s).
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Where does the word "meshugana" come from? It comes from Hebrew meshuga, passing through Yiddish before entering English (1900s).
Meshugana’s story begins in Hebrew: meshuga meant “crazy, insane.” The Hebrew word appears in the Bible, where David pretends to be mad. By 1800s, the word had taken hold in Yiddish as meshugene. From Hebrew 'meshugga', mad. It reached English by 1900s as meshugana. The shorter adjective 'meshuga', crazy, is recorded in English from 1892. Today, meshugana means a crazy, foolish, or eccentric person.
- Stage 1 · Hebrew · ancient meshuga "crazy, insane", the Hebrew word appears in the Bible, where David pretends to be mad.
- Stage 2 · Yiddish · 1800s meshugene "a crazy or foolish person", from Hebrew 'meshugga', mad.
- Stage 3 · English · 1900s meshugana "a crazy or foolish person", the shorter adjective 'meshuga', crazy, is recorded in English from 1892.