noun
chutzpah
KHOOTS-puh/ˈxʊtspə/
Bold, often shameless confidence.
He has the chutzpah to cut the queue and offer his payment card.
Etymology
Yiddish khutspe means “impudence” or “gall,” emphasizing nerve that oversteps normal restraint. This carries into the English sense of audacity beyond what ordinary politeness would permit.
In context
You definitely have to have the chutzpah to be able to just just again, ask
More examples
- She admires the chutzpah behind his ambitious proposal.
- It took real chutzpah to challenge the entire committee.
- His chutzpah sometimes crosses into outright rudeness.
Forms
chutzpah
Similar words
- audacity
- Audacity is a close equivalent; chutzpah is an informal Yiddish borrowing that can convey admiration or disapproval.