Shylock

Meanings

Noun

• A shylock.

Proper Noun

• A fictional character who was a moneylender (Jewish stereotype) in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice.

Origin

• Possibly derived from Hebrew שלח (Šélaḥ, the grandson of Shem), or an Old Saxon word that meant "white-haired", referring to goldsmiths and scriveners. It may also be derived from w:Michael Lok and an archaic meaning for the word shy, which meant "untrustworthy".