klutz

See also: Klutz and Klütz

English

Alternative forms

• clutz

Etymology

From Yiddish קלאָץ (klots, literally “wooden beam”); cognate to German Klotz (“block, lump”). Doublet of clot and clod.

Pronunciation

• enPR: klŭts, IPA^(key): /klʌts/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

  Rhymes: -ʌts

Noun

klutz (plural klutzes)

1. (US, derogatory) A clumsy or stupid person.
   • 1979, Monty Python's Life of Brian, spoken by Reg (John Cleese):

     Well, that's all right, then, Brian. Sit down. Have a scone. Make yourself at home. You klutz!

   • 1990 June 3, Dr. Robert Crist, abortion doctor, quotee, St. Petersburg Times:

     "Out of [one abortion doctor's] first six months of work, there are nine malpractice suits ... After it was apparent the guy was a klutz, they kept using him, and trying to cover for him, because they couldn't find another provider."

   • 2003, Greg Rucka, Ultimate Daredevil and Elektra:

     "Mel, back home we'd call you a klutz." / Melissa: "Use a lot of Yiddish back in Texas, do you?"

   • 2008, Qanta A. Ahmed, In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdom:

     I bumped into the coffee table. "Sorry about that table. Don't worry, you should see me, Qanta. I am the klutz! I am always doing that!" She giggled at her clumsiness while I giggled at a Saudi using idiomatic Yiddish.

Derived terms

• klutzhood
• klutzish
• klutzy

Translations

a clumsy or stupid person

Catalan: pocatraça m or f Czech: nemehlo (cs) n, poleno (cs) n, ťulpas (cs) m Dutch: kluns (nl) m, klos (nl) m Finnish: tunari (fi) French: maladroit (fr) m German: (ungehobelter) Klotz (de) m, Trampel m, Tollpatsch (de) m, Trottel (de) m Hungarian: balfék (hu), balfácán (hu) Icelandic: klossi (is) m Maori: pahi mohoao Norwegian: Bokmål: kløne m or f Plautdietsch: Schlenkjafoot m, Pultafoot m Polish: ciamajda (pl) m or f, oferma (pl) m or f, fajtłapa (pl) m or f Russian: недотёпа (ru) m or f (nedotjópa), неуме́ха (ru) m or f (neuméxa), простофи́ля (ru) m or f (prostofílja), растя́па (ru) m or f (rastjápa), растеря́ха (ru) m or f (rasterjáxa), у́валень (ru) m (úvalenʹ) Swedish: drulle (sv) c Ukrainian: незгра́ба (nezhrába), те́лепень (uk) (télepenʹ), вайло́ (uk) (vajló), тюхті́й (tjuxtíj), маму́ла (uk) (mamúla), розтеле́па (roztelépa), бевзь (uk) (bevzʹ)