Zelig
Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word Zelig. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word Zelig, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say Zelig in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word Zelig you have here. The definition of the word Zelig will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofZelig, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From the surname of the character Leonard Zelig from the 1983 film Zelig who meets many famous people in the 1920s and 1930s and, apparently out of his desire to fit in and be liked, unwittingly takes on the characteristics of the strong personalities around him.[1]
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA(key): /ˈzɛlɪɡ/
- Hyphenation: Ze‧lig
Noun
Zelig (plural Zeligs)
- An ordinary person who can change their appearance or behaviour to suit their surroundings, especially one who is unexpectedly associated with important events or people.
- Synonym: chameleon
- An unimportant person who appears at multiple important events.
Derived terms
Translations
ordinary person who can change their appearance or behaviour to suit their surroundings — see chameleon
unimportant person who appears at multiple important events
References
- ^ “Zelig, n.”, in OED Online
, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, July 2023; “Zelig, n.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
