Schmaltz
name, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 Rendered chicken or goose fat. uncountable
"Even now, as medical science has given a nod to the moderate consumption of saturated animal fats, and the culinary elite has fallen hard for the likes of lard, tallow and duck fat, poor schmaltz remains the babushka-clad cousin not invited to the table. This is a shame, because schmaltz is one the most versatile and flavorful fats you can use."
- 2 (Yiddish) excessive sentimentality in art or music wordnet
- 3 Excessively sentimental art or music. derogatory, figuratively, uncountable
"Are you moved because the disco soundscape of “Moon Crystal” reminds you of TV shows from long ago, or because those high, whining violins over funk guitar are eternally gorgeous? […] Schmaltz is schmaltz, and it can make life worth living."
- 1 A surname from German.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"Even now, as medical science has given a nod to the moderate consumption of saturated animal fats, and the culinary elite has fallen hard for the likes of lard, tallow and duck fat, poor schmaltz remains the babushka-clad cousin not invited to the table. This is a shame, because schmaltz is one the most versatile and flavorful fats you can use."
Etymology
Borrowed from Yiddish שמאַלץ (shmalts) or German Schmalz. Doublet of smalt, smalto, and enamel.
Borrowed from German Schmaltz.
Related phrases
More for "schmaltz"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.