Chmo

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A stupid, gullible, or annoying person who is easily taken advantage of or looked down upon
2. Slang for a dim-witted fool, someone others regard as a dupe or a pest
3. An informal insult for a clueless, foolish person who makes an easy target for ridicule

Etymology: "Chmo" is a spelling variant of "schmo," an American slang noun for a foolish, inept, or gullible person. It comes from Yiddish, the language of Ashkenazi Jews, where the word's roots are uncertain. It is probably related to "schmuck," a Yiddish term with the literal sense of "ornament" that also became slang for a fool, though the exact connection is debated. The "ch-" spelling reflects the Yiddish pronunciation, with a sound closer to the "ch" in Scottish "loch" than to the English "sh" of "schmo." Writers choose between the two spellings, and "schmo" is more common in print. Both forms show how Yiddish words entered American English through speech in immigrant communities and then spread into popular slang.