An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/schmoren

by Friedrich Kluge

schmoren, verb, ‘to swelter, stew, fry,’ Modern High German only, formed from Low German and Dutch smoren, ‘to roast, stew,’ also ‘to stifle, fume’; compare Anglo-Saxon smorian, ‘to stifle.’ Those who regard ‘to roast, stew,’ as the primary meaning of the cognates may trace Anglo-Saxon smorian to Gothic smuzôn, and explain Modern High German Schmaus from some such original sense as ‘cook-shop.’ Yet Anglo-Saxon and Middle English smorþer, ‘steam,’ English smother, probably points to a root with a final r.