Etymology
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smirk (v.)

Old English smearcian "to smile." No exact cognates in other languages, but probably related to smerian "to laugh at, scorn," from Proto-Germanic *smer-, *smar-, variant of PIE *smei- "to smile;" see smile (v.), which after c. 1500 gradually restricted smirk to the unpleasant sense "smile affectedly; grin in a malicious or smug way." In some 18c. glossaries smirk is still simply "to smile." Related: Smirked; smirking. The noun is recorded by 1560s.

smirk (n.)

1550s, from smirk (v.).

Entries linking to smirk

smile (v.)

c. 1300, perhaps from Middle Low German *smilen or a Scandinavian source (such as Danish smile "smile," Swedish smila "smile, smirk, simper, fawn"), from Proto-Germanic *smil-, extended form of PIE root *smei- "to laugh, smile" (source also of Sanskrit smayate "smiles;" Latvian smiêt "to laugh;" Latin mirus "wonderful," mirari "to wonder;" Old English smerian "to laugh at, scorn," Old High German smieron "to smile"). Related: Smiled; smiling.

It gradually pushed the usual Old English word, smearcian (modern smirk), into a specific, unpleasant sense. Of the eyes, from 1759. Figuratively, as indicating favor or encouragement, from c. 1400. Romance, Celtic, and Slavic languages tend to use a diminutive of the word for "laugh" to mean "smile" (such as Latin ridere "laugh;" subridere "smile"), perhaps literally "small laugh" or "low laugh."

updated on October 15, 2013

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Definitions of smirk from WordNet
1
smirk (v.)
smile affectedly or derisively;
Synonyms: simper
2
smirk (n.)
a smile expressing smugness or scorn instead of pleasure;
From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

Dictionary entries near smirk

smidgen

smilax

smile

smiley

smirch

smirk

Smirnoff

smite

smith

Smith & Wesson

smithereens

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