Mar4

sitzfleisch.

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sitzfleisch

noun:

1. a person’s buttocks

2. power to endure or to persevere in an activity; staying power

example sentences:

‘there was no intermission in the play, and by the fifth act I was feeling the long running time in my sitzfleisch.’

‘eunice’s grandson is a piano prodigy with the sitzfleisch to practice his instrument for four hours every day.’

‘after a few bad grades his freshman year, quentin developed the sitzfleisch to develop study plans for each class and stick to it.’

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now is the time we really need to live the second meaning of this word – staying  power

word origin: German, late 19th century

why this word?

While the literal definition for “sitzfleisch” is “buttocks,” the metaphorical definition is more evocative — it refers to the power to persevere through an activity all the way to the end. In this usage, the buttocks are not merely the flesh upon which one sits, but rather a demonstration of the power and endurance required to sit for a long time when others might sooner have given up. “Sitzfleisch” is taken from the same word in German, which is based on the Yiddish “zitsfleysh.” In German, it is formed by combining “sitzen” (meaning “to sit”) and “Fleisch” (meaning “flesh”).

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source credit: word daily

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66 responses »

  1. When I was young in the 1960s, a Jewish friend of my dad’s named Joe used that word in reference to the fact that he sat too long behind the counter in his record shop. I remembered the strange word for a long time, then had forgotten it until today. I was glad to read it is of Yiddish origin, because Joe used many other Yiddish words and expressions that had to be explained to me at the time.
    Best wishes, Pete.

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  2. “sitzfleisch” is a new word for me, but I think I qualify as being a ‘sitzfleisch’ poet, who spends 4 to 5 hours each evening (sometimes going pass midnight) just to to write one lousy poem …

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  3. Whoever measured the sitzfleisch of these animals certainly had a lot of sitzfleisch to do the task.
    And may I say without bragging that my sitzfleisch has been admired and received many a whistle!

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  6. beth, I just love it when you write about german words…. we usually use it for persons who just can‘t sit still, or are jumping up every few moments to do something ‚terribly urgent‘ right now (me at the breakfast table!) or who have no endurance in any task.
    But i‘ve never seen it as a chart for animals‘ derrières…. so funny. and the stuff you always find is simply amazing.

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  7. Learned a new word today and I agree that in today’s climate, like the start of the tariffs today, we’re gonna need this more than ever! 🙏 Stay strong, everyone.

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