English

Proper noun

Chelm

1. A city in Poland, known for the Jewish stories about its (mythical) stupid residents.
   • 1999, Martha Blum, The Walnut Tree, Coteau, ISBN 1550501542, page 100 :

     The fool I am, the fool. A citizen of Chelm, an idiot, one of those characters my grandfather's legends are made of.

   • 2010 January 27, "nordicskiv2" <David.L.Webb@Dartmouth.edu>, "Re: HELMsman", message-ID <6dd30c30-f7a7-4c45-b737-bf2cf44c9e49@l19g2000yqb.googlegroups.com>, humanities.lit.authors.shakespeare, Usenet :

     You are the quintessential Chelmsman, Art -- indeed, you are the prince of the Sages of Chelm.

Translations

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowing from Polish Chełm.

Proper noun

Chelm f

1. Chelm (a city in Poland)

Synonyms

• Kulm