An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Schminke

by Friedrich Kluge

Schminke, feminine, ‘paint (for the face), rouge,’ from the equivalent Middle High German sminke, smicke, feminine, allied to Old High German smëcchar, smëhhar, adjective ‘fine, pretty,’ Anglo-Saxon smicere, ‘fine, pretty.’ These are connected with schmeicheln (root smaikw?). Compare Danish smigre, Swedish smickra, ‘to flatter,’ English to smicker, ‘to ogle.’