What is "smorgasbord"

1893, from Swedish smörgåsbord, literally "butter-goose table," from smörgås, "slice of bread and butter," compounded from smör "butter" (see smear (n.)) and gås, literally "goose" (and from the same Germanic root that yielded English goose (n.)).\n\n[Smörgås] properly signifies "a slice of bread-and-butter"; and has come by custom
--in much the same way as when we familiarly speak of "taking a sandwich" for partaking of some light refreshment
--to be applied synecdochically to the preliminary relish or appetizer partaken of before meals. ["Notes and Queries," Nov. 15, 1884] \n\nThe final element is bord "table," from Proto-Germanic *burdam "plank, board, table" (see board (n.1)). Figurative sense of "medley, miscellany" is recorded from 1948.

n. 1 A buffet. 2 (context figuratively English) A diverse collection of things.

1. n. a collection containing a variety of sorts of things; "a great assortment of cars was on display"; "he had a variety of disorders"; "a veritable smorgasbord of religions" [syn: assortment, mixture, mixed bag, miscellany, miscellanea, variety, salmagundi, potpourri, motley]

2. an assortment of foods starting with herring or smoked eel or salmon etc with bread and butter; then cheeses and eggs and pickled vegetables and aspics; finally hot foods; served as a buffet meal

Smorgasbord may refer to:

• Smörgåsbord, a type of Scandinavian meal, originating in Sweden, served buffet-style with multiple hot and cold dishes of various foods on a table
• Smorgasbord, the original title of the 1983 Jerry Lewis film Cracking Up
• Smorgasbord Records, a recording label
• Smorgasbord, a 1979 album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Smörgåsbord is a type of Scandinavian meal, originating in Sweden, served buffet-style with multiple hot and cold dishes of various foods on a table.

In Northern Europe, the term varies between 'cold table' and 'buffet': In Norway it is called koldtbord or kaldtbord and in Denmark det kolde bord (lit. the cold table); in Germany kaltes Buffet (lit. cold buffet); in Iceland it is called hlaðborð (farmyard/courtyard buffet), in Finland voileipäpöytä (butter-bread/sandwich table).

In Eastern Europe, each language has a term that literally means Swedish table: rootsi laud in Estonia, zviedru galds in Latvia (however aukstais galds - the cold table is also a popular name), švediškas stalas in Lithuania, шведска маса (shvedska masa) in Bulgaria, szwedzki stół in Poland, svédasztal in Hungary, švédský stůl in the Czech Republic, švédsky stôl in Slovakia and švedski stol in Croatia. Similarly, in Japan バイキング / ヴァイキング (baikingu / vaikingu, i.e. "Viking") is a popular name used.

Smörgåsbord became internationally known, spelled smorgasbord, at the 1939 New York World's Fair when it was offered at the Swedish Pavilion's "Three Crowns Restaurant." It is typically a celebratory meal and guests can help themselves from a range of dishes laid out for their choice. In a restaurant, the term refers to a buffet-style table laid out with many small dishes from which, for a fixed amount of money, one is allowed to choose as many as one wishes.

Smorgasbord is the second album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1979.