Joe Schmoe (also spelled
Joe Shmoe and
Joe Schmo) is one of the most commonly used fictional
names in
American English. It is used to identify the typical, everyday person who does not have any special status, frequently in contrast to some group. Adding a "Shm" to the beginning of a word is meant to diminish, negate, or dismiss an argument (for instance, "rain, shmain, we've got a game to play"). This process was adapted in English from the use of the "Shm" prefix in
Yiddish to dismiss something; as in fancy "shmancy"..
See also
