smack
/smæk/noun, verb, adverb
smack is spelled S-M-A-C-K: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears 4.4 times per million words in written English, the 12,216th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, smack means “A distinct flavor, especially if slight” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of smack is smacks.
How many letters and syllables are in smack?
| Letters | 5: S-M-A-C-K |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 4.4 times per million words; the 12,216th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is smack?
Smack appears 4.4 times per million words in written English, the 12,216th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce smack?
- /smæk/
Smack has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-au-smack.ogg, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-smack.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of smack
- smacks plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- smacking participle, present
- smacked participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does smack mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A distinct flavor, especially if slight.
rice pudding with a smack of cinnamon
- 2
A slight trace of something; a smattering.
- 3
slangSynonym of heroin.
- 4
A form of fried potato; a scallop.
- 5
A small sailing vessel, commonly rigged as a sloop, used chiefly in the coasting and fishing trade and often called a fishing smack.
- 6
A group of jellyfish.
- 7
A sharp blow; a slap. See also: spank.
- 8
The sound of a loud kiss.
- 9
A quick, sharp noise, as of the lips when suddenly separated, or of a whip.
verb
- 1
To get the flavor of.
He soon smacked the taste of physic hidden in this sweetness.
- 2
To have a particular taste; used with of.
- 3
To indicate or suggest something; used with of.
Her reckless behavior smacks of pride.
- 4
To slap or hit someone.
- 5
To make a smacking sound.
- 6
To strike a child (usually on the buttocks) as a form of discipline. (normal U.S. and Canadian term spank)
- 7
To wetly separate the lips, making a noise, after tasting something or in expectation of a treat.
- 8
To kiss with a close compression of the lips, so as to make a sound when they separate.
adverb
- 1
As if with a smack or slap; smartly; sharply.
Right smack in the middle of getting ready to leave.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Smack in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | Hauch , Ahnung , Schmack |
| Spanish | sumaca , sopapo, soplamocos, lapo, pescozón, pescozada |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does smack come from?
The noun is from Middle English smac, smak, smacke, from Old English smæc, smæċċ (“taste, smatch”), from Proto-West Germanic *smakku, from Proto-Germanic *smakkuz (“a taste”), from Proto-Indo-European *smegʰ-, *smeg- (“to taste”). The verb is from Middle English smaken. Doublet of smatch (obsolete, “taste”; q.v.), from Old English smæċċan (“to taste, smack”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).