smearcase

[smeer-keys]

noun Chiefly North Midland U.S.

any soft cheese suitable for spreading or eating with a spoon, especially a sour cottage cheese.

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Also smier·case, schmierkase.

Origin of smearcase

1820–30, Americanism; half translation, half adoption of German Schmierkäse, equivalent to schmier(en) to spread, smear + Käse cheese¹

Regional variation note

See cottage cheese.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for smear-case

Historical Examples

The man held a knife-load of smear-case in front of his mouth, and grunted.
Stories of the Foot-hills
Margaret Collier Graham
There was smear-case too, milk gravy and sauce made of English currants.
Vandemark's Folly
Herbert Quick

Word Origin and History for smear-case

n.

1829, semi-translation of German Schmier-käse; see smear (v.) + cheese (n.).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper