Nogoodnik

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /nəʊˈɡʊdnɪk/
• GenAm IPA: /noʊˈɡʊdnɪk/

Origin

From no good + -nik. Likely influenced by, evolved from, or borrowed directly into Yiddish from the Russian негодник ("worthless person, reprobate, ne'er-do-well"))

“Nudnik, Nogoodnik & Nu: Russian Origin of 3 Yiddish Words at Bill Casselman's Canadian Word of the Day & Words of the World” (2007)

Full definition of nogoodnik

Noun

1. A ne'er-do-well; an individual who is no good.
• 1984, Martin Amis, Money, Vintage 2005, p. 182:Lorne's role was that of Gary, the nogoodnik father.

Synonyms

• bad guy, no-good, loser, miscreant, scoundrel

Related terms

• kibbutznik
• nudnik
• -nik