smirk

[smurk] /smɜrk/
verb (used without object)
1.
to smile in an affected, smug, or offensively familiar way.
noun
2.
the facial expression of a person who smirks.
Origin
before 900; Middle English smirken (v.), Old English sme(a)rcian
Related forms
smirker, noun
smirkingly, adverb
unsmirking, adjective
unsmirkingly, adverb
Examples from the web for smirk
  • Present are five forms of evil that makes us smile, smirk or chuckle knowingly.
  • We beam when we're cheerful, grin sheepishly when we're guilty, smirk when we're proud.
  • The original smirk that evolved into a grin transformed into a toothy smile.
  • The smirk across your face needs to be wiped pronto.
  • He turns up, with a smirk on his face, looking semi-reluctant to be there.
  • Some might smirk that it is but a fool that will soon find that it was let to buy only to pay for learning.
  • Broderick always gives us a glimpse into the anxious, fragile side of this wide-eyed apple polisher with an ingenuous smirk.
  • The jockey's smirk and the mud covering his face complete the image.
  • The stars were dancing, wheeling and glancing, dipping with smirk and beck.
  • If you arrive in gym clothes or leave your shirt untucked, no one will smirk.
British Dictionary definitions for smirk

smirk

/smɜːk/
noun
1.
a smile expressing scorn, smugness, etc, rather than pleasure
verb
2.
(intransitive) to give such a smile
3.
(transitive) to express with such a smile
Derived Forms
smirker, noun
smirking, adjective
smirkingly, adverb
Word Origin
Old English smearcian; related to smer derision, Old High German bismer contempt, bismerōn to scorn
Word Origin and History for smirk
v.

Old English smearcian "to smile." No exact cognates in other languages, but probably related to smerian "to laugh at, scorn," from Proto-Germanic *smer-, *smar-, variant of PIE *smei- "to smile;" see smile (v.), which after c.1500 gradually restricted smirk to the unpleasant sense "smile affectedly; grin in a malicious or smug way." In some 18c. glossaries smirk is still simply "to smile." Related: Smirked; smirking. The noun is recorded by 1560s.

n.

1550s, from smirk (v.).