smirk

Meaning

Noun

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

Verb

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

Adj

smart; spruce; affected; simpering

Synonyms

simper

grin

😁

smile

😄

sneer

grimace

snicker

snigger

titter

sneer at

broad grin

affected smile

chortle

grin broadly

face

giggle

grinning

😀

leer

Translations

grinsen

😁

ricaner

minauder

sonrisa afectada

grijnzen

sırıtış

smorfia

sogghignare

😏

meesmuilen

sourire affecté

rire

😆

blöd grinsen

somriure de menyspreu

ricanerie

χαζό χαμόγελο

Pronounced as (IPA)

/smɜːk/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: smirken

Inherited from Old English: smearcian

Cognate with Middle High German: smielen

Cognate with German: schmieren

In summary

From Middle English smirken, from Old English smearcian (“to smile”), corresponding to smerian + -cian (English -k; compare talk and stalk from, respectively, tell and steal). 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). Doublet of smile.
The specific meaning of a mocking or unpleasant, malicious smile or grin develops in Early Modern English, but until the 18th century, it could still be used to describe a generic smile.