Likely based on a variant ofsmiddum,smeddum(“fine powder”), influenced byScotssmitch(“stain, speck, small amount, trace”).[1][2] Alternatively, from*smitching, a diminutive ofsmitch. Compare Northumbrian dialectal Englishsmiddum(“small particle of lead ore; smitham”).[3] Scotssmitch, alsosmutch, likely derives from English dialectalsmit,smite(“bit, small portion”), Old Englishsmytta,smitta(“a smear, blot, spot, mark, pollution”), related toOld Englishsmītan(“to daub, smear, smudge”); or possibly from*smuddian, *smyddan, *smydecian, *smydegian(“to soil, stain, taint, blacken”), perhaps related toMiddle Low Germansmudde(“dirt, filth”),smudden(“to soil, make dirty”),Middle High Germansmotzen(“to be dirty”). If so, then cognate withsmudge.
Alternate etymology connectssmidgeon withScottish Gaelicsmidin(“small syllable”), though this is highly improbable considering the implied semantic shift that would have to have occurred.
smidgen (pluralsmidgens)
Some cookbooks and manufacturers of kitchen measurement sets have attempted to define asmidgen for recipes. Anything between1⁄25 and1⁄48 of a teaspoon may be found,1⁄32 being perhaps the most commonly used. Other commonly used measures for small amounts includetad,dash,pinch, anddrop. There seems to be some consensus of tad being the largest in this set and asmidgen being larger than a drop but smaller than a pinch.
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