An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/schmeicheln

by Friedrich Kluge

schmeicheln, verb, ‘to caress, coax, flatter,’ from Middle High German smeicheln, smeichen, ‘to flatter, praise, extol’; Old High German *smeihhen is wanting; compare Middle Low German smeken, Dutch smeeken, ‘to implore’ (conversely, Dutch vleijen signifies ‘to flatter’). These cognates, which have no corresponding terms in other languages, probably belong, like the words adduced under Schminke, to a Teutonic and Aryan root smī̆-w, ‘to be insinuating, friendly,’ to which Middle High German smieren, smielen, ‘to smile’ (compare Speichel from the root spîw, ‘to spit’), is allied. In that case English to smile, Sanscrit smêra-s, ‘smiling,’ Sanscrit root smi, ‘to laugh,’ Lettic smët, ‘to laugh,’ and Old Slovenian směją, smijati sę, ‘to laugh,’ are probably allied. If from its relation to High German glatt and English glad it is assumed that the primary meaning of the root smī̆-w is ‘to be smooth,’ the root smī̆ (see Schmied), ‘to work artistically’ (literally ‘to do polished work’), may be regarded as cognate with the former; similarly Old High German gi-slihten signifies ‘to smooth over, polish,’ and ‘to flatter.’