It's a Yiddish word that I picked up when living in the US (and working/living around many American Jews). It roughly means "an honorable person" and I've heard it used as an honorific term to describe another person (as in, "he's a mensch").
MW says: "a person of integrity and honor". It's my desire that people might view me as a mensch one day.
I know enough German for the idea of Jewish people talking about Mensch vs. Unmensch to make me feel uncomfortable; probably because while I do understand the language, I still lack the cultural references. Anyone care to enlighten me? I read the wikipedia entry, but that somehow isn't enough. I'd love to hear from people using this word in everyday life.
This latter one is instructive, as it contrasts Bill Murray with Mickey Rourke, who the author refers to as a douchebag.
And, perhaps this is as good a way as any to understand the usage of "mensch": consider it the antonym to douchebag.
You know how there are some people that make you almost instinctively say to yourself, "Man, he's a real douche!"? On the flip side, there are people of whom you'll say "What a mensch!"
MW says: "a person of integrity and honor". It's my desire that people might view me as a mensch one day.