schmeicheln.
to flatter to an exaggerated degree
Meaning & usage
to flatter to an exaggerated degree
Where this word comes from
From Middle High German smeicheln, smeichelen, of uncertain origin. Possibly an iterative of Middle High German smeichen; or alternatively from Old High German *smeihhalōn, from Proto-West Germanic *smaikulōn (“to caress, flatter, stroke”), an iterative of Proto-West Germanic *smaikōn. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *smē(y)g- / *smī̌g-, a guttural extension of Proto-Indo-European *smē- / *smēy- (“to smear, wipe over”). Equivalent to schmeichen + -eln. Cognate with German Low German smeicheln (“to coax, flatter”), Saterland Frisian smekelje (“to flatter”). Related also to Dutch smeken (“to beg, implore”), Old English smācian (“to stroke, caress, pat”), English smicker, as well as Polish smagły (“swarthy”) and perhaps Latin macula (“a spot”).
Try it on your idea.
schmeicheln has 11 characters. Say it out loud, try it alongside a description of your project, and see whether its meaning fits what you want to create.
These are naming prompts. Meanings and pronunciation can vary; existing brand and domain uses have not been checked.
Explore the name generatorA word with a source.
Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.