Where does “smarting” come from?

Smarting derives from Middle English smerte, Old English -ung, Proto-Germanic smertaną, and Proto-Indo-European (s)merd-, meaning to cause pain or suffer.

smarting (English): Painful, sore; Experiencing emotional pain or...

Definitions

Painful, sore; Experiencing emotional pain or...

Ancestry of “smarting”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Middle English	smertyng	—
2	Old English	smeortung	a smarting, an itching
3	Old English	smeortan	to smart; hurt
4	Proto-Germanic	smertaną	to hurt
5	Proto-Indo-European	(s)merd-	to bite, to sting

Words derived from “smarting”

smartingly

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)merd- →

smarting — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer