glatt

Glatt is a German adjective meaning smooth, flat, or even. In everyday usage it describes surfaces that are free from roughness or irregularities, such as a glatte Oberfläche (a smooth surface) or a glatt gepoliert finish. The term can also be used more broadly to describe things that are even or unruffled, though the primary sense is physical smoothness.

In Jewish dietary law, glatt kosher is a distinctive standard within kosher certification. The word glatt means "smooth" in this context, referring to the lungs of cattle undergoing an added inspection to ensure a completely smooth surface, without certain blemishes. Meat labeled glatt kosher is considered stricter than standard kosher, reflecting a higher level of inspection and certification.

Geographically, Glatt is used as a place-name element in German-speaking regions. There is a river named Glatt in Switzerland, and several towns and municipalities bear the root or derivative forms in their names, often connected to proximity to the river or landscape features. Glattfelden, for example, is a municipality in the canton of Zürich, illustrating how the term has entered local toponymy.

As a surname, Glatt exists in German-speaking communities and can appear in various regions. In general, the word’s use across language, religion, and geography reflects its core meaning of smoothness and order, which has been extended into names and certifications over time.