Kibitz is the Oxford English Dictionary’s ‘Word of the Day’ — but their definition will surprise you
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
The Oxford English Dictionary’s online word of the day is kibitz.
However, the dictionary’s first definition is a bit jarring for Americans who are accustomed to the using the word as a colloquialism for warm, friendly chatter.
Instead, the OED defines it as “To watch (a card game or card player) as a spectator, typically while offering (unwelcome) advice or criticism,” and includes the more positive meaning of kibitz as a secondary definition: “To chat, banter, or joke (with a person), esp. in a lighthearted or informal manner; to fool around.”
The word comes from the German word kiebitzen.
The dictionary also offers several spellings, including kibitz, kibetz, kabitz and kibbitz.
The post Kibitz is the word of the day! appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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