ENGLISH
REFERENCE

schmidt

n. countable
A1 Beginner US //ˈʃmɪt// schmidt

n. a very common German family name. It is the German version of the English name 'Smith' and refers to someone who works with metal.

n. a common German surname, etymologically derived from the occupation of a smith or metalworker. When used in English contexts, it typically refers to a person of German descent or is used as a placeholder name in linguistic examples.


SIMPLE

Mr. Schmidt is our new German teacher.

CONTEXTUAL

The local bakery has been owned by the Schmidt family for three generations.

COMPLEX

In his sociological study, the author uses the name Schmidt as a generic identifier for a typical middle-class resident of a mid-sized German town to illustrate broader demographic trends.

Origin

Borrowed from German Schmidt (“smith”). Doublet of Smid and Smith.

Usage

Capitalized as a proper noun; functions as a common noun when referring to multiple people with the name (e.g., 'the Schmidts').

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