shtick

noun

ˈshtik 

variants or less commonly schtick or shtik

1

: a usually comic or repetitious performance or routine : bit

2

: one's special trait, interest, or activity : bag

he's alive and well and now doing his shtick out in Hollywood

—Robert Daley

shticky

ˈshti-kē 

adjective

Synonyms

• act
• bit
• number
• routine
• turn

Examples of shtick in a Sentence

That joke is part of his shtick.

Sports are just not my shtick.

Recent Examples on the Web

His workingman shtick, borrowed from socialist folk-music sentimentality, is sustained by the showbiz equivalent of the Democrat machine. —Armond White, National Review, 25 Oct. 2024

Matty Matlock’s whole shtick is being a down-to-earth old person who rolls her eyes at the youths. —Noel Murray, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2024

Annihilation’s best bit of shtick involves the overuse of acronyms. —Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 24 Oct. 2024

Wilson’s directorial vision, super sharp when not focused on her own shtick, is ably aided by Ross Emery’s bright cinematography, Sam Hobbs’ perfect production design and Margot Wilson’s ace costume designs. —Pete Hammond, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Yiddish shtik pranks, literally, piece, from Middle High German stücke, from Old High German stucki; akin to Old English stycce piece, Old High German stoc stick — more at stock entry 1

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined at sense 1