Where does “smirking” come from?
Smirking comes from Middle English smirken, from Old English smercian, of unknown ultimate origin.
smirking (English): present participle of smirk; The act of one who...
Definitions
- present participle of smirk; The act of one who...
Ancestry of “smirking”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | smirk | An uneven, often crooked smile that is insolent,... |
| 2 | Middle English | smirken | — |
| 3 | Old English | smearcian | to smile |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | smarōną | to mock; scoff at; deride |
Words derived from “smirking”