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Where does the word "shtick" come from? It comes from Yiddish shtik, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).
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Where does the word "shtick" come from? It comes from Yiddish shtik, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).
Shtick’s story begins in Yiddish: shtik meant “a piece; a comedic routine.” Literally "a piece", especially a piece of a stage act. It reached English by 1900s as shtick. Yiddish 'piece', a comic routine in vaudeville. Today, shtick means a distinctive routine, gimmick, or trait associated with a person.
- Stage 1 · Yiddish · medieval shtik "a piece; a comedic routine", literally "a piece", especially a piece of a stage act.
- Stage 2 · English · 1900s shtick "a distinctive, habitual performance style or gimmick", Yiddish 'piece', a comic routine in vaudeville.