# word origin query

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-query/69257>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 18, 2001, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-query/69257 "2001-06-18T22:37:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chronolicht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Chronolicht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronolicht)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2001, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-query/69257/1 "2001-06-18T22:37:21Z")

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Could one of you erudite etymologists tell me the origin of the word vig? As in, usurious interest rate applied by loan sharks? Is it an acronym? A bastardization of a foreign word? Thanks.

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2001, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-query/69257/2 "2001-06-18T22:56:12Z")

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According to _American Slang_ by Robert Champman, **vig** or **vigorish** or **viggerish** is probably from a Yiddish word that is derived from Russian _vyigrysh_ meaning “profit” or “winnings”.

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**Author:** ![jcgmoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@jcgmoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jcgmoi)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2001, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-query/69257/3 "2001-06-18T22:58:16Z")

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I’m neither erudite nor an etymologist but [Dictionary.com](http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=vigorish) credits Yiddish slang, from the Russian.

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**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2001, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-query/69257/4 "2001-06-18T23:53:14Z")

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Now ask where the term “nut” comes from … if you dare! 🙂

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-query/69257/5 "2001-06-19T02:15:20Z")

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[Evan Morris’s](http://www.word-detective.com/052699.html#vig) take on it.

He says,

> [@](#):
>
> U.S. mobsters may have picked up the term from the “Kosher Mafia” of Meyer Lansky, who welded Italian Mafiosi and Jewish gangsters into a nationwide crime syndicate in the 1930’s.

This seems as likely to me unless someone comes up with a quote prior to the 30’s.

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**Author:** ![Chronolicht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Chronolicht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronolicht)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-query/69257/6 "2001-06-19T06:38:16Z")

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Thanks to all. Points to bibliophage for the bitchin’ name.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-query/69257/7 "2001-06-19T23:10:11Z")

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I forgot to add that the “Kosher Mafia” to which I referred is sometimes called “La Kosher Nostra.” 😃