Shmaltz: meaning, definitions and examples
🎭
shmaltz
[ ʃmɑlts ]
slang usage
Shmaltz is a Yiddish term that refers to excessive sentimentality or melodrama, particularly in art or literature. It can describe a situation or work that is considered overly emotional or cheesy to the point of being cloying. Often, it is used to criticize works that manipulate emotions rather than present genuine feelings. The term is derived from the Yiddish word 'shmaltz', which originally referred to rendered chicken or goose fat but came to connote something that is overly rich or excessive in an emotional sense.
Synonyms
corniness, maudlin, melodrama, sentimentality.
Examples of usage
- The film was filled with shmaltz, making it hard to take seriously.
- Her poem was so full of shmaltz that it received mixed reviews.
- Critics argue that the novel was drenched in shmaltz.
- People love the show for its humor, despite the shmaltz in its romantic plots.
Translations
Translations of the word "shmaltz" in other languages:
🇵🇹 manteiga de pato
- gordura
- sentimentalismo
🇮🇳 चर्बी
- भावुकता
- स्नेह
🇩🇪 Schmalz
- sentimental
- Fett
🇮🇩 lemak
- sentimental
- lemak babi
🇺🇦 шмалц
- м'ясний жир
- сентиментальність
🇵🇱 smalec
- tłuszcz
- sentymentalizm
🇯🇵 シュマルツ
- 脂肪
- 感情的なもの
🇫🇷 schmaltz
- graisse
- sentimental
🇪🇸 manteca
- grasa
- sentimentalismo
🇹🇷 şmalz
- yağ
- duygusal
🇰🇷 슈말츠
- 지방
- 감상적
🇸🇦 شمالز
- دهن
- عاطفي
🇨🇿 šmalc
- sádlo
- sentimentální
🇸🇰 šmalec
- tuk
- sentimentálny
🇨🇳 施马尔茨
- 脂肪
- 情感的
🇸🇮 šmalc
- maščoba
- sentimentalizem
🇮🇸 smjör
- fita
- tilfinningalegur
🇰🇿 шмалц
- май
- сезімтал
🇬🇪 შმალც
- ცხიმი
- გრძნობადი
🇦🇿 şmalc
- yağ
- sentimentalizm
🇲🇽 manteca
- grasa
- sentimentalismo
Etymology
The word 'shmaltz' traces its origins back to the Yiddish language, which is a High German-derived language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. In Yiddish, 'shmaltz' refers to rendered animal fat, particularly that of poultry. The culinary reference is connected to the idea of something being rich or greasy. As the Jewish diaspora brought Yiddish into broader American English usage, 'shmaltz' evolved to encompass a figurative meaning, denoting excessive emotional content in various forms of artistic expression, such as films, literature, and music. Its impression of being overly lush or rich in sentiment highlights a cultural critique of works that prioritize emotional manipulation over authenticity or depth. Thus, it reflects a cultural perception where the balance between genuine emotion and excessive sentimentality came to be defined as shmaltz.