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mensch

/mɛnʃ/
IPA guide

Other forms: mensches

A mensch is a good person, someone you really like and admire. Your neighbor who offers you a ride to work every time he notices that you've missed your bus again is a mensch.

If you have a trusted friend or a reliable co-worker you can always count on, an informal word that describes them both is mensch. You might vote for the political candidate who seems the most like a mensch, or name your very favorite teacher and add, "She's a real mensch." The word comes from Yiddish, in which it means "a person of integrity and honor," from the German Mensch, or "person."

Definitions of mensch
  1. noun
    a decent responsible person with admirable characteristics
    synonyms: mensh
    see moresee less
    type of:
    good person
    a person who is good to other people
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