Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “smeary” come from?

smeary (English) comes from Middle English smery, from Old English smeoruwiġ, from Old English smeoru, from Proto-West Germanic *smeru, from Proto-Germanic smerwą, from Proto-Celtic smérus, from Proto-Indo-European smérus, from Proto-Indo-European smer- — to fall into thought, remember, care for; to fall...

smeary (English): Having or showing smears; Tending to smear or...

Definitions

  1. Having or showing smears; Tending to smear or...

Ancestry of “smeary”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishsmery—
2Old Englishsmeoruwiġfatty, greasy, unctious, smeary
3Old Englishsmeoru—
4Proto-West Germanic*smeru—
5Proto-Germanicsmerwągrease, butter, fat
6Proto-Celticsmérusmarrow
7Proto-Indo-Europeansmérusgrease
8Proto-Indo-Europeansmer-to fall into thought, remember, care for; to fall...

Words derived from “smeary”

  • smeariness
  • smearily
Every word from Proto-Indo-European smer- →