An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Geschmeide

by Friedrich Kluge

Geschmeide, n., ‘ornaments, trinkets, jewels,’ from MidHG. gesmîde, n., ‘metal, metal utensils or weapons, ornaments,’ OHG. gismîdi, n., ‘metal,’ and the variant smîda, f.; from the root smī̆, widely diffused in Teut., ‘to work in metal,’ with which OHG. smeidar, ‘artificer in metals,’ and the cognates discussed under Schmied, are connected. So too geschmeidig, ‘pliant, flexible, tractable, smooth,’ from MidHG. gesmîdec, ‘easy to work, plastic.’