An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Schmieralien

by Friedrich Kluge

Schmieralien, plural, ‘bribes,’ Modern High German only, formed like Lappalien (trifles), with a foreign suffix from a German stem; compare also Schwulität. Allied to schmieren, Middle High German smirn, smirwen, ‘to smear, salve, bribe,’ Old High German smirwen, a denominative of Schmeer.