קדחת (קדוחעס)kadokhes meaning in Yiddish

Name: Lashon
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fever; (figuratively) absolutely nothing · noun

Also spelled in English: kadoches

Illustration for the Yiddish word kadokhes

A shaking fever from the curse list in Deuteronomy that became the word for something that is a nothing (aka gornisht).

דרײַ וואָכן האָט ער געאַרבעט אין דער קראָם, און באַצאָלט האָט מען אים אַ קדחת.

“Three weeks he worked in the shop, and they paid him a kadokhes.”

What's the last job or favour that paid you a kadokhes?

Yiddish words for money, bargains and work Yiddish blessings and sayings

Published 30 October 2026

Yaacov, native Jerusalemite

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Related Yiddish words

נחתnakhes

pride and joy, especially from one's children

מכּהmake

a plague; sarcastically, nothing at all

שעלטןsheltn

to curse, to swear

שאַכער־מאַכערshakher-makher

wheeler-dealer

האָרעוועןhoreven

to toil, to slave away at something

שנאָרערshnorer

a professional moocher; a man who has raised sponging off others to a proud craft