An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/schmelzen

by Friedrich Kluge

schmelzen, vb., ‘to melt, dissolve,’ from the equiv. MidHG. smëlzen, OHG. smëlzan; also as factitive ModHG. schmelzen, MidHG. and OHG. smęlzen, ‘to smelt, liquefy’; comp. E. to smelt. The pre-Teut. root smeld, contained in these words and in the allied term Schmalz, is cognate with the root meld (see Malz), and Gr. μέλδω, ‘to melt.’ From the Teut. cognates the Rom. terms, Ital. smalto and Fr. émail, ‘enamel,’ are usually derived.