שמנת

Hebrew

Etymology

Root
שׁ־מ־ן‎ (š-m-n)

Modern derivation from the root ש־מ־ן‎ (sh-m-n) (compare שמן‎ (shémen, “oil”), שומן‎ (shumán, “fat”)); possibly formed under the influence of Yiddish שמאַנט‎ (shmant) and/or German Schmand. For the Semitic root compare Akkadian 𒉌𒄑 (šamnu, Ì.GIŠ, “oil”), Arabic سَمْن‎ (samn, “ghee”), Ugaritic 𐎌𐎎𐎐 (šmn, “oil”).

Pronunciation

(Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʃaˈmɛ.nɛt/

Noun

שַׁמֶּנֶת • (shaménet) f (no plural forms, singular construct שַׁמֶּנֶת־) [pattern: קַטֶּלֶת]

Cream: the oily part of milk that rises to the top.
= שמנת חמוצה‎ (shaménet khamutzá): sour cream.

Usage notes

Since sour cream is often called שמנת (instead of the more explicit שמנת חמוצה‎ (shaménet khamutzá)), ordinary cream is sometimes called שמנת מתוקה‎ (shaménet m'tuká, “sweet cream”) to differentiate it. (Compare English sweet cream.)

Derived terms

גְּבִינַת שַׁמֶּנֶת‎ (g'vinát shaménet)
שמנת חמוצה‎ (shaménet khamutzá, “sour cream”)
שמנת מתוקה‎ (shaménet m'tuká, “cream, sweet cream”)

References

“שַׁמֶּנֶת” in Abraham Even-Shoshan (אַבְרָהָם אֶבֶן־שׁוֹשָׁן) et al., הַמִּלּוֹן הֶחָדָשׁ‎ (ha-milón he-khadásh, “The New Dictionary”), Kiryat-Sefer Ltd. (קִרְיַת־סֵפֶר בְּע״ם)‎ (1984), →ISBN, volume 3 of 3 (ק to ת), page 1387.