# Memories of JDT. Man sues for circumcision

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memories-of-jdt-man-sues-for-circumcision/56199>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [February 28, 2001, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memories-of-jdt-man-sues-for-circumcision/56199 "2001-02-28T14:15:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Abe\_Babe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@Abe\_Babe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe_Babe)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2001, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memories-of-jdt-man-sues-for-circumcision/56199/41 "2001-03-05T14:46:14Z")

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I have just a moderate hijack. I have heard from a few different sources that the word “schmuck” is actually Yiddish slang for the by-product of a circumcision. (i.e. the foreskin) Most people say it refers to the penis itself. Granted, the most scientific my research got was talking to a co-worker who had a foul-mouthed Jewish grandfather. Any truth to this? I think that if schmuck meant the former, it would be a much more vivid put-down.

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**Author:** ![SpinneZiege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@SpinneZiege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpinneZiege)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2001, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memories-of-jdt-man-sues-for-circumcision/56199/42 "2001-03-06T04:29:34Z")

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**Abe Babe** : According to the [supremely reliable 'fish](http://babelfish.altavista.digital.com/), schmuck means “decoration” in German. I think I actually remember learning this in German II a while back. And there is no listing in [this Yiddish dictionary](http://www.pass.to/glossary/_vti_bin/shtml.dll/Default.htm), so I doubt it.

“Decoration”=schmuck"=“foreskin”?

Might work…

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**Author:** ![Neil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/839c29/32.png) [@Neil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neil)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2001, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memories-of-jdt-man-sues-for-circumcision/56199/43 "2001-03-06T17:00:46Z")

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This thread makes me curious about the other side of the issue. If someone were _not_ circumcised at birth, would there be any substantial reason for him to get circumcised later? (Not because of a religious conversion). Say, for appearance, cleanliness/less risk of cancer? Any personal stories or stories of friends relatives who underwent circumcision later in life?

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