schmaltz — excessive sentimentality, especially in art, music, or literature
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: excessive sentimentality, especially in art, music, or literature
Pronunciation (IPA): /ʃmɔːlts/
Example Sentences
- The director's latest film was criticized for its heavy dose of schmaltz.
- My grandmother's cooking always included a generous amount of schmaltz.
- The love song was so full of schmaltz that even the radio DJ laughed.
schmaltz
NOUN[/ʃmɔːlts/]
excessive sentimentality, especially in art, music, or literature
Excessive sentimentality in entertainment
This schmaltz-filled waltz reveals its faults
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Yiddish, ultimately tracing to German 'Schmalz' meaning 'fat' or 'lard'. As Jewish immigrants settled in America in the early 20th century, the term underwent semantic shift from its literal culinary sense to a figurative meaning, with the greasy, sticky quality of rendered fat becoming a metaphor for excessive sentimentality and mawkish emotion.
Breakdown
Schmalz (German: fat, lard) + -tz (Yiddish/German suffix) → schmaltz. The morpheme retains its original fatty substance reference but extends metaphorically to describe overly sentimental or emotionally manipulative expression.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The director's latest film was criticized for its heavy dose of schmaltz.”
“My grandmother's cooking always included a generous amount of schmaltz.”
“The love song was so full of schmaltz that even the radio DJ laughed.”
“Critics called the musical 'schmaltz on steroids' for its over-the-top emotional scenes.”
📚Related Words
Want to master 27,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.