What is the Yiddish word for a woman who is not Jewish?

Answer 1

The word is shiska, it is considered perjorative and demeaning. The word comes from the Hebrew root for an abomination or a blemish.

Answer 2

Goy-tah

A Goya or Goy-tah refers to either an older or very plain woman, and also doubles to mean a cleaning lady.

There is also a derogatory term, shiksa or shikse (pronounced phonetically Shick.sa), that is sometimes used to refer to a young and/or pretty woman. This is a slur that translates to "disgusting thing."

Updated:

Further agreement. "Shiksa" is found in the Wikipedia database and is also a South American term for a maid or cleaning lady, whether or not she is Jewish.

In Hebrew, it's derived from the word shetetz for "impure" and "abomination", as written in italics. That would make it an insult, as stated above.

In Poland, it's rather pejorative (derogatory), but can sometimes be used in a somewhat affectionate way, for an immature, teenage girl who is also a "brat", "kid" or "little squirt", or even "pisspants." The Polish word it's closest to is "sikac"(the American qwerty ascii rendering). Sikac means "to urinate."

Answer:

The word clearly sought is "shikse".

It's only as pejorative as stereotypical Jewish mamas aren't keen on their sons marrying non-Jewish girls. This is true in the same fashion as most mothers belonging to whatever ethnic groups prefer their sons to marry someone like themselves. Then their grandchildren will be easier to identify with and arguably constitute more marriageable material - i.e. the match is less apt to end in divorce.

"Shikse" isn't a compliment but largely insofar as the whole notion is unpopular as described.

The dictionary-correct approach is to respond "shikse, or shiksa, pej." [for pejorative] - "Origin Yiddish, English usage."

"Shikse" is indeed a common word - Yiddish which has entered into the American English lexicon. None of us need to know obscure etymological derivations which may or may not pertain. And I say that as a linguist.

also shik·se (shĭk'sə)

n. Offensive

Used as a disparaging term for a non-Jewish girl or woman.

Answer 3

Goy (גוי)

However, this word isn't slang in Yiddish; the original definition of 'goy' was nation but it is now the term for non-Jews.

Answer 4

A non-Jew is sometimes referred to as a "goy", meaning "a people", indicating that he is a member of one of the many other peoples of the world, other than Israel.

Answer 5

Schitzer