New York meaning
schmear
A spread or generous layer, especially cream cheese on a bagel.
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Meaning
In New York food talk, a schmear most often means a portion or spread of cream cheese on a bagel. More broadly, the Yiddish-derived word can refer to spreading something or to the whole collection of related things in the phrase the whole schmear.
Pronunciation and grammar
/ʃmɪr/ · noun and verb
Informal; rooted in Yiddish and strongly associated with New York Jewish food culture.
How it is used
At a bagel shop, asking for a bagel with a schmear usually means cream cheese unless another spread is named. The exact amount implied is informal and varies by speaker and shop.
Examples
Local: Give me an everything bagel with a schmear.
Plain English: Give me an everything bagel with cream cheese spread on it.
Local: They added a thick schmear of scallion cream cheese.
Plain English: They added a thick layer of scallion cream cheese.
Important context
Schmear does not always mean cream cheese in every context. It can refer to another spread or appear in broader idiomatic uses.