Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

schmaltz

/ʃmɔlts/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.20 in modern English

Syllables
schmaltz
IPA
/ʃmɔlts/
24
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
1
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Rendered chicken or goose fat.

Uncountable

noun

Excessively sentimental art or music.

Derogatory; Uncountable

name

A surname from German.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Borrowed from Yiddish שמאַלץ (shmalts) or German Schmalz. Doublet of smalt, smalto, and enamel.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ʃmɔlts/
  • British English: /ʃmɒlts/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce schmaltz?
The recorded pronunciation is /ʃmɔlts/.
What does schmaltz mean?
Rendered chicken or goose fat.
Where does schmaltz come from?
It is traced to German.

How to pronounce schmaltz

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “schmaltz”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ʃmɔlts/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “schmaltz”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “schmaltz” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.