Where does “smithereens” come from?

Smithereens comes from Irish smidiríní, formed with the diminutive suffix -ín, which derives from Old French -ine, Latin -inus, and Proto-Indo-European -iHnos.

smithereens (English): Fragments or splintered pieces; numerous tiny...

Definitions

  1. Fragments or splintered pieces; numerous tiny...

Ancestry of “smithereens”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Irishsmidirínísmithereens
2IrishínAlternative form of inn
3Irishinn—

Words derived from “smithereens”

Every word from Irish inn →Every word from Irish ín →Every word from Irish smidiríní →