A (usually derogatory) term for a young, spoilt, wealthy (Jewish) woman who is preoccupied with materialism or frivolities, and is characterized by nasal, drawling speech. Also shortened form kug (see quotation 1992), attributive, and combination (objective) kugel-spotting. Cf. bagel.
1970 New Nation Oct. 17He married, quite thoughtlessly, a middle-class Kugel, but soon sees that her eccentric zany charm is merely slovenly vacuousness.
1971 Personality 29 Jan. 49Kugel is a Yiddish word meaning pudding, but in this country it now also means daughters of wealthy parents whose only interest in life is their appearance and how to spend more money. Kugels have developed a jargon and accent of their own.
1975 Rhodeo (Rhodes Univ.) Vol.29 No.6, 2I regretfully observe that a fair number of kugels are managing to infiltrate the Rhodes Campus..all dolled up to the nines.
1981 B. Ronge in Fair Lady 2 Dec. 352‘A kugel is not a radical or ethnic phenomenon’ he said. ‘It is really a state of mind. And an accent of course.’
1982 Sunday Times 28 Mar. (Mag. Sect.) 1He took to the business the way a kugel takes to Krugerrands.
1982 I.H. Klevansky Kugel Book 6How to spot a kugel. She’s well-dressed. She wears diamond studs in her ears. She smells expensive. She speaks through her nose...Thursday nights make for good kugel-spotting.
1986 Frankental & Shain in Burman & Reynolds Growing Up 220Some Jewish girls will virtually act out a fascinating stereotype which has been named and articulated in recent years. This is the ‘kugel’ phenomenon, a caricature of a young woman with ‘the latest’ in everything and a single-minded determination to find the ‘right’ husband, the ‘perfect’ home in the best area and to raise ‘perfect’ children. Clearly, the ‘kugel’ is a product of urban affluence associated with the nouveau riche, to be found in many countries and not restricted to Jews. The word, however, has become a code reference for young Jews (and increasingly for non-Jews) in South Africa, with the user aspiring sometimes to the status, but more often rejecting association with the category.
1986 Style Aug. 146Ran into a kugel friend last week. Expressed surprise that she hadn’t already left for Australia. ‘Never!’ she shrieked. ‘As I said to Merv, I’d be rather killed in my bed than have to get up and make it.’
1989 Flying Springbok Sept. 14She has a wardrobe that would make a kugel blanch (1200000 pairs of shoes).
1989 B. Ludman Day of Kugel 8‘Kugels are mostly from the wealthy northern suburbs of Johannesburg..’ Clive said. ‘If you’re a kugel, you’re doing a BA degree while you look for a medical student to marry. Your heart is as big as all outdoors and your head is an empty as the Karoo.’
1991 C. Sampson on TV1, 11 JuneIn America we call the kugel the JAP — the Jewish American princess.
1991 I. & F. De Moor Informants, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)Kugel (probably originated at the University of the Witwatersrand) — a rich, spoilt, shallow female. Usually a first year University student, often Jewish. Has a particular accent and manner of speaking, epitomised in Pieter Dirk Uys’s send up in his many satirical reviews. Definitely associated more and more with Johannesburg than anywhere else in the country.
1991 H. Phillips Informant, Johannesburg, Gauteng‘It’s outstanding’, the ultimate mark of kugel approval.
1992 B. Ronge in Sunday Times 10 May (Mag. Sect.) 8I hung around..observing the shopping patterns of the kugels because I was looking for a jet-set, you see, and if the Sandton kugs can’t set your jet for you, then 10-to-one it can’t fly at all.
1993 H.P. Toffoli in Sunday Times 16 May 15Studies show the black-tipped hanging fly chooses her man..on the size of the prey he provides. A regular kugel.
FAQs
South African slang (usually derogatory). A type of wealthy young (Jewish) woman, characterized as being shallow and materialistic.
What is a Kugel in South Africa slang? ›
A (usually derogatory) term for a young, spoilt, wealthy (Jewish) woman who is preoccupied with materialism or frivolities, and is characterized by nasal, drawling speech. Also shortened form kug (see quotation 1992), attributive, and combination (objective) kugel-spotting.
What is the meaning of kugel in English? ›
noun. ball [noun] anything roughly round in shape. a ball of wool. bowl [noun] a wooden ball rolled along the ground in playing bowls.
What is the origin of the word Kugel? ›
The name of the dish comes from the Middle High German kugel meaning 'sphere, globe, ball'; thus the Yiddish name likely originated as a reference to the round, puffed-up shape of the original dishes (compare to German Gugelhupf—a type of ring-shaped cake). However, nowadays kugel is often baked in square pans.
What is the meaning of Kugela? ›
noun. , Jewish Cooking. a sweet or savory baked casserole resembling a soufflé or pudding and made of noodles, potatoes, challah, or matzo mixed with eggs and fat.
What do South Africans call sandwiches? ›
sarmie, a South African English word for "sandwich"
What does chowing mean in South Africa? ›
To eat. Chowed down on the meat and potatoes. American Heritage. (slang, South Africa) To eat.
What does kugel symbolize? ›
The Importance of Kugel
If the dish is made with noodles because they are intertwined, it can mean Jewish unity. The composition and the sugar contained in kugel can symbolize the arrival of Shabbat and bring spiritual blessings.
What is the story of kugel? ›
The kugel was born in Eastern Europe as a leftover bread pastry with fat and eggs and only eight centuries ago evolved into the lokshen (noodle) kugel we know today. Rice kugels were invented in the 16th century thanks to Ottoman influences, and the popular Polish potato kugel showed up in the nineteenth century.
Is kugel eaten hot or cold? ›
Kugel is traditionally served as a side dish alongside something meaty like brisket or roast chicken. In this case it would normally be served warm, but it can also be refrigerated and eaten cold the next day. Sweeter versions can also be eaten hot or cold, and taste great with fresh cream or vanilla ice cream.
The Jewish Talmud says that Shabbat should be "a day of delight," which is where this decadent, noodle-y dish comes in. Plus, since kugel carries a long tradition of enjoyment in recognition of the holy day, enjoying the dish is also a way to honor the past and future.
What is the difference between a casserole and a kugel? ›
The common denominators of all true kugels are a starch base, eggs (or egg substitute), and fat, without the addition of water or other liquids. If the dish lacks any of the basic ingredients, it is technically a casserole or cake, not a kugel.
Is kugel sweet or savory? ›
While that's the base, kugel can be found in many variations from savory to sweet. The word kugel is German for “sphere,” which refers to the dumplings that made up the earliest version of the dish.
What is a bagel South African slang? ›
bagel (noun) – Overly groomed materialistic young man, and the male version of a kugel. From the Yiddish word for the pastry. bakgat (exclamation and adjective) – Fantastic, cool, awesome. From the Afrikaans.
What does gumba gumba mean in South Africa? ›
The term is derived from gumba gumba, the term given to the booming speakers of the old spacegram radios that broadcast music into South Africa's townships and villages. The phrase later evolved into Gumba Fire to refer to a hot party.
What does gumba mean in South Africa? ›
slang. Also in shortened form gumba. In urban (especially township) English: 1. A prolonged music and drinking session at which liquor is sold for profit.
What is a sarmie in South Africa slang? ›
South African colloquial. A sandwich. I forgot to make sarmies for school.
