schlemazel n.

1650s, "thin, slight, slender," usually with suggestion of gracefulness, from Dutch slim "bad, sly, clever," from Middle Dutch slim "slanting, crooked; bad, wrong," from Proto-Germanic *slembaz "oblique, crooked" (source also of Middle High German slimp "slanting, awry," German schlimm "bad, cunning, unwell"), which is of unknown origin. Italian sghembo "crooked, slanting, lopsided" is from Germanic.

Not found in Middle English. The Germanic sense evolution seems to be "slanting" to "slight, insignificant" then "gracefully slender." Down another path, "slanting" to "crooked" to "bad, sick, wrong."

Of chances, etc., "meager, small" from 1670s. The sense of "slight, flimsy, unsubstantial" is by 1813, of fabric. In English 17c. also sometimes in reference to persons with a sense "sly, cunning, crafty." Related: Slimly; slimness.

With obsolete extended adjectival forms slimsy "flimsy, unsubstantial" (1845, American English, of fabric, etc.); slimikin "small and slender" (1745). Slim Jim attested from 1887 in sense of "very thin person;" from 1902 as a type of slender cigar; from 1975 as a brand of meat snack. Slim volume "book of verse by a little-known or aspiring poet" is by 1920.

Jewish salutation, 1862, from modern Hebrew mazzal tob "good luck, good fortune," literally "good star," from Hebrew mazzaloth (plural) "constellations," also "destiny" (compare schlemazel). Probably to English via Yiddish.