shmutz

Bit of filth

Shmutz is Yiddish-derived slang for dirt, grime, or any unwanted substance—especially a small spot or smudge: You've got some shmutz on your collar.

A parent might lick a thumb to wipe shmutz off a child's face.

The word carries affectionate, informal connotations.

Also spelled schmutz.

dirt

grime

Ingrained surface dirt

  • filthFoul, accumulated matter
  • crudFilthy deposit or residue
  • smudgeUnclear dirty mark

stain · spot · speck · dust · residue · mess · grunge · muck · soot · tarnish

yiddish

schmear

Thick dab of spread

kvetch · chutzpah · klutz · shtick · schmooze · nosh · kibitz · tchotchke · mensch · nudnik

Opposites
cleanliness/purity

shmutzcleanliness

Absence of dirt

spotlessness · purity · immaculateness · pristineness · polish

moral/spiritual purity

shmutzpurity

Uncontaminated quality

innocence · virtue · wholesomeness · decency · cleanliness

Family

schmaltz, schmutz

Familiarity
Top 1,000,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G