smirk

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

Cf. Middle High German smielen/smieren (“to smile”) ( > obsolete, rare German schmieren).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /smɜː(ɹ)k/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)k

Noun

A smirk.

smirk (plural smirks)

1. An uneven, often crooked smile that is insolent, self-satisfied or scornful.
2. A forced or affected smile; a simper.
   • Sir Walter Scott

     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

• Dutch: grijnslach
• Finnish: virne, virnistys, omahyväinen hymy
• French: sourire en coin m, ricanerie (fr) f

• Italian: smorfia (it) f
• Portuguese: careta (pt) f
• Russian: ухмылка (ru) (uxmylka)
• Serbo-Croatian: kes m

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.

Translations

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

• Bulgarian: подсмихвам се (podsmihvam se)
• Dutch: grijnzen (nl), meesmuilen (nl)
• Finnish: virnistää, hymyillä omahyväisesti
• French: ricaner (fr)

• Italian: sogghignare
• Russian: ухмыляться (ru) (uxmyljatʹsja)
• Serbo-Croatian: kesiti se
• Spanish: sonreír con suficiencia

Synonyms

• simper
• shit-eating grin (vulgar)

Adjective

smirk (comparative more smirk, superlative most smirk)

1. (obsolete) smart; spruce; affected; simpering
   • Spenser

     So smirk, so smooth.