noun
chutzpah
KHUUTS-puh
noun
1
Bold self-confidence or audacity, especially of a shameless or impressive kind.
"It took real chutzpah to ask for a raise on his first day."
"She had the chutzpah to challenge her boss in front of the whole team."
How to Use Chutzpah
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNerve — the guts to do or say something bold, cheeky, or outrageous.
When to use it
Informal, borrowed from Yiddish; common in everyday English, especially in the US.
Common pairings
have the chutzpah
sheer chutzpah
Word Forms
chutzpahs plural
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Etymology
Borrowed from Yiddish khutspe, ultimately from an Aramaic word meaning "audacity" or "boldness".