Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

shpilkes

/ˈʃpɪlkɪs/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables
sh-pilkes
IPA
/ˈʃpɪlkɪs/
17
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A state of impatience, agitation, or anxiety.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Borrowed from Yiddish שפּילקעס (shpilkes, “needles”), ultimately from a Slavic term such as Polish szpilka, which comes from Italian spilla, from Late Latin spīnula (“little thorn”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: שפּילקעס, spilla, spīnula

Phrases

ants in one's pants on tenterhooks

Frequently Paired Words

ants in one's pants on tenterhooks

Synonyms

on pins and needles

Questions

How do you pronounce shpilkes?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈʃpɪlkɪs/.
What does shpilkes mean?
A state of impatience, agitation, or anxiety.
Where does shpilkes come from?
It is traced to Yiddish.

How to pronounce shpilkes

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “shpilkes”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈʃpɪlkɪs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “shpilkes”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “shpilkes” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.