mayofes

Edit
Record a Pronunciation

Definitions

  • n. A servile person.

Example Sentences

  • "From there, a mayofes-Jew is one who bows to non-Jewish authorities in a servile manner." (source)

Record a Sentence

Languages of Origin

  • Textual Hebrew
  • Yiddish

Etymology

  • Y מה־יפֿית ma-yofes, lit. 'how beautiful,' the first words of the verse (Song of Songs 7:7) that according to legend, was sung by Polish Jews and often requested by nobles they worked for.

      • Who Uses This

      • Older: Jews who are middle-aged and older
      • Ashkenazim: Jews with Ashkenazi heritage

      Dictionaries

      • Yiddish and English: A Century of Yiddish in America, by Sol Steinmetz (Tuscaloosa, 1986).
      • Dictionary of Jewish Usage: A Popular Guide to the Use of Jewish Terms, by Sol Steinmetz (Lanham, MD, 2005).

      Alternative Spellings

      mayufes, mayofesnik, mayufesnik, ma yofes, ma yofis

Notes

  • The Friday night melody was removed from the liturgy in many communities because of its historical connotations. 

Edit     Something missing from this entry? Inaccurate? Feel free to suggest an edit.

Share this word: