nudnik

Definition

A person who is very annoying; a pest, a nag, a jerk.

Etymology

From Yiddish נודניק (nudnik) < root of נודיען (nudyen, “to bore”) + ־ניק (-nik, “noun-forming suffix”) (English -nik). Ultimately from Proto-Slavic *nuda < Proto-Indo-European *newti- (“need”) < *new- (“death, to be exhausted”). Compare Russian ну́дный (núdnyj, “tedious”), Ukrainian нудни́й (nudnýj, “tedious”), Polish nudny (“boring”), Slovak nudný (“boring”), Old Church Slavonic ноудити (nuditi) or нѫдити (nǫditi, “to compel”), Hebrew נוּדְנִיק (“nag”).

Example Sentences

• "He interrupts people, and he is not interested in anything except what concerns him and his brother. He is a nudnick!"
• "Juliana greeted strangers with a portentous, nudnik, Mona Lisa smile that hung them up between responses, whether to say hello or not."

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