Where does “smirkingly” come from?

smirkingly (English) comes from English smirking, from English smirk, from Middle English smirken, from Old English smearcian, from Proto-Germanic smarōną — to mock; scoff at; deride.

smirkingly (English): In a smirking manner

Definitions

  1. In a smirking manner

Ancestry of “smirkingly”, step by step

smirkingly traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English smirking

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishsmirkingpresent participle of smirk; The act of one who...
2EnglishsmirkAn uneven, often crooked smile that is insolent,...
3Middle Englishsmirken—
4Old Englishsmearcianto smile
5Proto-Germanicsmarōnąto mock; scoff at; deride

via English ly

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlyAbbreviation of light-year
2VietnameselyAlternative spelling of li
Every word from Proto-Germanic smarōną →Every word from Old English smearcian →Every word from Middle English smirken →