smirk
Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word smirk. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word smirk, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say smirk in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word smirk you have here. The definition of the word smirk will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofsmirk, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
A smirk.
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English smirken, from Old English smearcian (“to smile”), corresponding to smerian + -cian (English -k), the former element from Proto-Germanic *smarōną (“to mock, scoff at”), and the latter from Proto-Germanic *-kōną. Compare Middle High German smielen/smieren (“to smile”) ( > obsolete, rare German schmieren).
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /smɜːk/
Audio (Southern England): (file)
- (General American) IPA(key): /smɝk/
- Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)k
Noun
smirk (plural smirks)
- An uneven, often crooked smile that is insolent, self-satisfied, conceited or scornful.
- A forced or affected smile.
- Synonyms: simper, (vulgar) shit-eating grin
- 1814 July 7, , Waverley; or, ’Tis Sixty Years Since. , volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC:
- The bride, all smirk and blush, had just entered.
- 2003, Brian Herbert, “Xanadu”, in Dreamer of Dune, New York: Tom Doherty Associates, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 259:
- We sat at a long table with a huge salmon on a platter in the center, prepared Szechuan style. Dad sat at one end of the table, and regaled all present with his stories. In the middle of one convoluted yarn, he rose and went around to the salmon in the center of the table. Using his fingers, he dug an eyeball out of the fish, popped it in his mouth and swallowed it whole as we looked on, aghast. “A real delicacy,” he said, with a boyish smirk.
Derived terms
Translations
smile that is insolent, offensively self-satisfied or scornful
|
Verb
smirk (third-person singular simple present smirks, present participle smirking, simple past and past participle smirked)
- To smile in a way that is affected, smug, insolent or contemptuous.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
to smile in a way that is affected, smug, insolent or contemptuous
|
Adjective
smirk (comparative more smirk, superlative most smirk)
- (obsolete) smart; spruce; affected; simpering
- 1579, Immeritô , “Februarie. Aegloga Seunda.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: , London: Iohn Wolfe for Iohn Harrison the yonger, , →OCLC:
- So smirk, so smooth, his pricked Ears.