Schmand

German

Alternative forms

• Schmant (rare)

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle Low German smand. There are two theories as to the origin of the Middle Low German word:

• Duden and some other authorities think it derives from Proto-West Germanic *smanþī (“smooth, soft”) and is thus cognate to English smooth.
• Jacob Grimm and Václav Machek think it derives from Slavic (whence also Schmetten and English smetana). See смета́на (smetána) for more.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃmant/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Homophone: Schmant
• Rhymes: -ant

Noun

Schmand m (strong, genitive Schmandes or Schmands, no plural)

1. (especially West-Central German, North-East German) thick, fermented (soured) cream; smetana, sour cream (with a high fat content)
   • 1677, Johanne Hiskia Cardilucio, Neuaufgerichtete Stadt- und Land-Apotheke / Diæt-Büchlein oder Speise-Tranck- und Lebens-Ordnung, chapter XIV, Eigenſchafft deß Milchraams, page 926:

     Welchergestalt ſich die beſte Subſtanß aus der Milch oben auf begibt in einen feiſten Raam oder Schmant / welcher ferner durch ſtarcke Bewegung oder Kernen ſich ſcheidet in Butter und Buttermilch / […]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. (rare, chiefly West-Central German) Milk skin, lactoderm (a sticky film of coagulated proteins, namely casein, that forms on the surface of heated milk just before reaching the boiling point)
3. (East-Central German) mud, sludge, slush

   Synonyms: Schlamm, Matsch, Modder

Usage notes

• The traditional, although less common spelling is Schmant.
• The spelling Schmand has been an optional spelling since 2011.

Declension

Declension of Schmand [sg-only, masculine, strong]

	singular
	indef.	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Schmand
genitive	eines	des	Schmandes, Schmands
dative	einem	dem	Schmand, Schmande1
accusative	einen	den	Schmand

¹Now rare, see notes.

Further reading

• “Schmand” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.