smirk

English

Alternative forms

• smerk (dated)

Etymology

A smirk.

From Middle English smirken, from Old English smercian, smearcian (“to smile, smirk”), 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 (UK)

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• (General American) IPA^(key): /smɝk/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)k

Noun

smirk (plural smirks)

1. An uneven, often crooked smile that is insolent, self-satisfied or scornful.
2. A forced or affected smile.

   Synonyms: simper, (vulgar) shit-eating grin

   • 1814 July 7, [Walter Scott], Waverley; […], volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), Edinburgh:  […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, OCLC 270129598:

     The bride, all smirk and blush, had just entered.

Derived terms

• smirker
• smirkily
• smirkingly
• smirky

 

Translations

smile that is insolent, offensively self-satisfied or scornful

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Czech: úšklebek m
• Dutch: grijnslach (nl)
• Finnish: virne (fi), virnistys (fi), omahyväinen hymy
• French: sourire en coin m, ricanerie (fr) f
• Irish: leamh-mheangadh m, straois f, streill f, siotgháire m

• Italian: smorfia (it) f, sorrisetto m
• Russian: ухмы́лка (ru) (uxmýlka)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: кес m

  Roman: kes (sh) m

• Spanish: sonrisita f, mueca (es) f, sonrisa de suficiencia f, sonrisa complacida f, sonrisa de satisfacción f, sonrisa de complicidad f, sonrisa satisfecha, sonrisa de superioridad
• Welsh: cilwen (cy) f

Verb

smirk (third-person singular simple present smirks, present participle smirking, simple past and past participle smirked)

1. To smile in a way that is affected, smug, insolent or contemptuous.

Synonyms

• simper

Translations

to smile in a way that is affected, smug, insolent or contemptuous

• Bulgarian: подсмихвам се (podsmihvam se)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Czech: ušklíbnout se
• Dutch: grijnzen (nl), meesmuilen (nl)
• Finnish: virnistää, hymyillä omahyväisesti
• French: ricaner (fr)

• Ido: ridetar (io)
• Italian: sogghignare (it)
• Navajo: biniiʼ yiyoołdloh
• Russian: ухмыля́ться (ru) impf (uxmyljátʹsja), ухмыльну́ться (ru) pf (uxmylʹnútʹsja)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: ке́сити се

  Roman: kesiti se (sh)

• Spanish: sonreír con suficiencia

Adjective

smirk (comparative more smirk, superlative most smirk)

1. (obsolete) smart; spruce; affected; simpering
   • 1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Februarie. Aegloga Se[c]unda.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], OCLC 606515406; republished as The Shepheardes Calender […], London: […] Iohn Wolfe for Iohn Harrison the yonger, […], 1586, OCLC 837880809:

     So smirk, so smooth, his pricked Ears.

Anagrams

• mirks, skrim