smirk
/smɝk/noun, verb
smirk is spelled S-M-I-R-K: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears 1.1 times per million words in written English, the 27,462nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, smirk means “An uneven, often crooked smile that is insolent, self-satisfied, conceited or scornful” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of smirk is smirks.
How many letters and syllables are in smirk?
| Letters | 5: S-M-I-R-K |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.1 times per million words; the 27,462nd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
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); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is smirk?
Smirk appears 1.1 times per million words in written English, the 27,462nd 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 smirk?
- UK /smɜːk/
- US /smɝk/
Smirk 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: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-smirk.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with smirk?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as smirk from its last stressed vowel (/ɜɹk/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of smirk
- smirks plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- smerk
- smirke
- smirking participle, present
- smirked participle, past
- more smirk comparative
- most smirk superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does smirk mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
An uneven, often crooked smile that is insolent, self-satisfied, conceited or scornful.
- 2
A forced or affected smile.
verb
- 1
To smile in a way that is affected, smug, insolent or contemptuous.
adjective
- 1
obsoletesmart; spruce; affected; simpering
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Smirk in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | sourire en coin, ricanerie , ricaner |
| German | Geschmunzel , grinsen, feixen |
| Spanish | sonrisita, mueca, sonrisa complacida / satisfecha , sonreír con suficiencia, hacer una sonrisita |
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 smirk come from?
From Middle English smirken, from Old English smearcian (“to smile”), corresponding to smerian + -cian (English -k; compare talk and stalk from, respectively, tell and steal). The former element from Proto-Germanic *smarōną (“to mock, scoff at”), and the latter from Proto-Germanic *-kōną. Compare Middle High German smielen/smieren (“to smile”) ( > obsolete, rare German schmieren). Doublet of smile. The specific meaning of a mocking or unpleasant, malicious smile or grin develops in Early Modern English, but until the 18th century, it could still be used to describe a generic smile.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).