# smarting

> English word · Adjective · frequency rank #67,840

## Definitions
1. Painful, sore.
2. Experiencing emotional pain or embarrassment.

## Etymology
From Middle English smertyng, smertinge, from Old English smeortung, smertung (“smarting, itching”), equivalent to smart + -ing.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/smarting