An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/schmelzen

by Friedrich Kluge

schmelzen, verb, ‘to melt, dissolve,’ from the equivalent Middle High German smëlzen, Old High German smëlzan; also as factitive Modern High German schmelzen, Middle High German and Old High German smęlzen, ‘to smelt, liquefy’; compare English to smelt. The pre-Teutonic root smeld, contained in these words and in the allied term Schmalz, is cognate with the root meld (see Malz), and Greek μέλδω, ‘to melt.’ From the Teutonic cognates the Romance terms, Italian smalto and French émail, ‘enamel,’ are usually derived.