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Schmaltz: meaning, definitions and examples

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schmaltz

 

[ ʃmɑːlts ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

cooking

Rendered chicken or goose fat used in Jewish cooking, especially for frying or as a spread.

Synonyms

fat, grease, lard

Examples of usage

  • The latkes were fried in schmaltz for extra flavor.
  • My grandmother always used schmaltz in her matzo ball soup.
Context #2 | Noun

informal

Excessive sentimentality or emotionalism, especially in music or literature.

Synonyms

corniness, mawkishness, sentimentality

Examples of usage

  • The movie was criticized for its schmaltz and lack of authenticity.
  • His writing is full of schmaltz and cliches.

Translations

Translations of the word "schmaltz" in other languages:

🇵🇹 sentimentalismo exagerado

🇮🇳 अतिसंवेदनशीलता

🇩🇪 Kitsch

🇮🇩 sentimentalisme berlebihan

🇺🇦 сентиментальність

🇵🇱 ckliwość

🇯🇵 感傷的なもの

🇫🇷 sentimentalisme exagéré

🇪🇸 sentimentalismo exagerado

🇹🇷 aşırı duygusallık

🇰🇷 과도한 감상주의

🇸🇦 عاطفية مفرطة

🇨🇿 přehnaná sentimentalita

🇸🇰 prílišná sentimentálnosť

🇨🇳 过度的感伤

🇸🇮 pretirana sentimentalnost

🇮🇸 ofur tilfinningasemi

🇰🇿 шамадан тыс сезімталдық

🇬🇪 გადაჭარბებული სენტიმენტალური

🇦🇿 hədsiz sentimentalizm

🇲🇽 sentimentalismo exagerado

Etymology

The word 'schmaltz' comes from Yiddish, originally from Middle High German 'smalz', meaning rendered animal fat. In Jewish cuisine, schmaltz has been used for centuries as a cooking fat and flavor enhancer. The informal meaning of excessive sentimentality or emotionalism developed in the 20th century.

See also: schmaltzy.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #40,486, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.