schmaltzy — excessively sentimental or emotional in an artificial way
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: excessively sentimental or emotional in an artificial way
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈʃmɔːltsi/
Example Sentences
- His schmaltzy proposal with a hundred roses was too much for her.
- The schmaltzy Christmas commercial made me change the channel immediately.
- Critics dismissed the play as schmaltzy and predictable.
schmaltzy
ADJECTIVE[/ˈʃmɔːltsi/]
excessively sentimental or emotional in an artificial way
Overly sentimental dramatic performance
His schmaltzy tears taste salty, but his acting stays faulty!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Schmaltzy derives from German 'schmalz', meaning lard or cooking fat. Jewish Americans adopted and extended this term metaphorically to describe excessively sentimental or maudlin emotions and artistic expression, drawing a comparison between the sticky, clinging quality of rendered fat and the overly adhesive nature of saccharine sentiment.
Breakdown
schmalz (German for lard, fat) + -y (English adjectival suffix forming adjectives from nouns, indicating 'having the quality of' or 'resembling').
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“His schmaltzy proposal with a hundred roses was too much for her.”
“The schmaltzy Christmas commercial made me change the channel immediately.”
“Critics dismissed the play as schmaltzy and predictable.”
“Stop being so schmaltzy about your old school days!”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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