An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Schmalz

by Friedrich Kluge

Schmalz, n., ‘fat, grease, suet,’ from MidHG. and OHG. smalz, n., ‘melted fat for cooking, grease, butter’ (comp. Ital. dial. smalzo, ‘butter’); allied to schmelzen, ‘to melt,’ which, in the sense ‘to cook with fat,’ is derived from Schmalz.