Word of the Day – Trombenik

Trombenik (also Trombenick) (noun)

trom-ben-ik

(US Slang) A person who lives off the generosity of others, a sponger; (more generally) a person who is idle, dissolute, disreputable, or worthless.

1920s; earliest use found in The Boston Globe. From Yiddish trombenik braggart, (in extended use) sponger, parasite, literally ‘trumpeter’ from trombe trumpet, horn + -nik.

Example sentences

“He’s such a useless trombenik.”