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''Schmear'' is a word of
Germanic origin, equivalent to "smear" or "spread" (usually fat or butter).
In some Germanic languages, the
cognate
In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymological ancestor in a common parent language.
Because language change can have radical effects on both the s ...
of ''smear'' itself means butter (cf. ''smör/smør'' in the
North Germanic languages
The North Germanic languages make up one of the three branches of the Germanic languages—a sub-family of the Indo-European languages—along with the West Germanic languages and the extinct East Germanic languages. The language group is also r ...
).
The use and spelling of ''schmear'' or ''shmear'' in American English is a direct loanword from
Yiddish
Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...
, where its original usage referred to cheese.
In modern usage it has extended to anything that can be spread, such as
cream cheese spread upon a
bagel.
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In some cases, it refers to "an entire set or group of related things", or the expression "the whole shmear".
[ It can also refer to bribery, as a "little extra" spread on top.
In ]card game
A card game is any game that uses playing cards as the primary device with which the game is played, whether the cards are of a traditional design or specifically created for the game (proprietary). Countless card games exist, including famil ...
s such as Schafkopf, Pinochle or Sheepshead, schmearing is to play a high-scoring card to a trick in the hope that one's partner will win it (see schmear (cards)).
As a slang term, the word in Yiddish can also refer to a slap on the face, primarily when disciplining young children.
References
External links
*
Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine
Cheese dishes
Yiddish words and phrases
{{Jewish-cuisine-stub