smile

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled smilin

US /ˈsmaɪl/ See IPA manual

Freq #1177

Meanings

1

verb
To turn up the corners of your mouth to show you are happy, pleased, or friendly.

She smiled warmly when she saw her old friend.
2

noun
A happy or friendly expression made by turning up the corners of your mouth.

He greeted everyone with a big smile.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms smiledsmilelesssmilessmilingsmilinglyunsmiling

Derived forms aftersmileautogynesmilebesmilecountersmilenonsmileoutsmileoversmilepermasmilesemi-smilesemismilesmile-smirksmileful

Related forms cheer grimace laugh mouth

Appears in

Phrases (8)

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sunny smile
a bright, cheerful smile that expresses friendliness

Adjective + noun
thankful smile
a smile that expresses gratitude

Adjective + noun
affable smile
a friendly smile that makes others feel welcome and at ease

Adjective + noun
constrained smile
a forced smile that lacks ease or genuine spontaneity

Adjective + noun
reluctant smile
a smile given despite an unwillingness to show pleasure or agreement

Adjective + noun
supercilious smile
a smile that shows contempt or a feeling of superiority

Adjective + noun

Proverbs (3)

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Simplified etymology

Smile entered English in the Middle Ages and may be of Scandinavian origin and related to Old English smirk. Smirk originally meant “to smile” before acquiring suggestions of smugness or silliness.

Etymology

From Middle English smilen (“to smile”), from Middle Low German *smîlen (“to smile”), from Middle High German smielen, from Old High German smielēn, from Proto-West Germanic *smīlēn, from Proto-Germanic *smīlāną (“to smile”), from Proto-Indo-European *smey- (“to laugh, be glad, wonder”). Cognate with Danish smile, Swedish smila, Faroese smíla (“to smile”); also Saterland Frisian smielje (“to smile”), Low German smielen (“to smile”), Dutch smuilen (“to smile”), Middle High German smielen (“to smile”). Related also to Old High German smierōn (“to smile”), Old English smerian (“to laugh at”), Old…

*(s)mey- Proto-Indo-European smilen Middle English *smîlen gml smielen gmh smielēn goh *smilēn Proto-West Germanic *smilāną Proto-Germanic *smey- Proto-Indo-European

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Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# smile

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈsmaɪl/
**Frequency rank:** 1177

## Meanings
1. To turn up the corners of your mouth to show you are happy, pleased, or friendly.
2. A happy or friendly expression made by turning up the corners of your mouth.

## Examples
- She smiled warmly when she saw her old friend.
- He greeted everyone with a big smile.

## Derived Forms
- aftersmile
- autogynesmile
- besmile
- countersmile
- nonsmile
- outsmile
- oversmile
- permasmile
- semi-smile
- semismile
- smile-smirk
- smileful

## Related Forms
- cheer
- grimace
- laugh
- mouth

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *(s)mey-
- Root: smilen
- Root: *smîlen
- Root: smielen
- Root: smielēn
- Root: *smilēn
- Root: *smilāną
- Root: *smey-

## Etymology
From Middle English smilen (“to smile”), from Middle Low German *smîlen (“to smile”), from Middle High German smielen, from Old High German smielēn, from Proto-West Germanic *smīlēn, from Proto-Germanic *smīlāną (“to smile”), from Proto-Indo-European *smey- (“to laugh, be glad, wonder”). Cognate with Danish smile, Swedish smila, Faroese smíla (“to smile”); also Saterland Frisian smielje (“to smile”), Low German smielen (“to smile”), Dutch smuilen (“to smile”), Middle High German smielen (“to smile”). Related also to Old High German smierōn (“to smile”), Old English smerian (“to laugh at”), Old…

## AI Etymology
Smile is from Middle English smilen (“to smile”), from Middle Low German *smîlen (“to smile”), from Middle High German smielen, from Old High German smielēn, from Proto-West Germanic *smīlēn, from Proto-Germanic *smīlāną (“to smile”), from Proto-Indo-European *smey- (“to laugh, be glad, wonder”). Cognate with Danish smile, Swedish smila, Faroese smíla (“to smile”); also Saterland Frisian smielje (“to smile”), Low German smielen (“to smile”), Dutch smuilen (“to smile”), Middle High German smielen (“to smile”). Important forms in the word's history include Proto-Indo-European *(s)mey-, Middle English smilen, gml *smîlen, gmh smielen, goh smielēn, Proto-West Germanic *smilēn, Proto-Germanic *smilāną, and related intermediate forms. In current use it includes senses such as To turn up the corners of your mouth to show you are happy, pleased, or friendly and A happy or friendly expression made by turning up the corners of your mouth.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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