Definition of shtetl

< sht.

shtick >

shtetl    (shttl, shttl) KEY 

NOUN:
pl. shtetls or shtet·lach  (-lä) KEY 

A small Jewish town or village formerly found throughout Eastern Europe.

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ETYMOLOGY:
Yiddish, from Middle High German stetel, diminutive of stat, town, from Old High German, place; see st- in Indo-European roots