chochem

• chacham, chocham, haham, hakham

From Yiddish חכם (khokhem), from Hebrew חָכָם (khakhám, “wise, smart”).

• (Ashkenazi) IPA^(key): /ˈxʌxəm/, /ˈxʌxʊm/, /ˈxɑːxəm/, /ˈxɔːxəm/
• (some alternative forms) IPA^(key): /xɑːˈxɑːm/

chochem (plural chochem or chochems or chochomim)

1. A wise and learned man
   • 1968, Martin Marcus, Yiddish for Yankees: Or, Funny, You Don't Look Gentile, page 9:

     In acknowledgment to the wise old bearded scholars who helped make this book possible . . . Jerry Barnbaum Morrie Korcngold Gert Korengold Raymond B. Young . . . and several minor chochems their feelings shouldn't be hurt but they didn't help that much.

   • 1998, Dovid Rossoff, Where Heaven Touches Earth, page ix:

     Undoubtedly, many chachamim and tzaddikim of Jerusalem have gone unmentioned in this book. The author begs their forgiveness.

   • 2015, Maureen Earl, Boat of Stone: A Novel, →ISBN:

     She is from California, flown halfway across the globe to gather a group of fifteen chochem together on this otherwise perfectly lovely Saturday morning.

2. (ironic) A know-it-all.
   • 2005, Gregg Keizer, The Longest Night, →ISBN, page 21:

     "Who the fuck you think you are, chochem, talking to Mr. Lansky like — " Lansky held up a hand to stop Mouse.

chochem (strong nominative masculine singular chochemer, not comparable)

1. cunning