shtetl \shtetl\ (sht[e^]t"'l); pl. Eng. {shtetls} (sht[e^]t"'lz), Yiddish {shtetlach} (sht[e^]t"l[aum]kh)., n. [Yiddish, from MHG stetel, dim. of stat, place, town.] A village or small town; -- usually referring to Jewish towns in Eastern Europe. [PJC] shtick