smile
UK: smaɪl | US: smaɪl
n. a facial expression formed by turning up the corners of the mouth, typically indicating pleasure or amusement
v. to form such an expression with the mouth
smile = smil<to laugh> + e (silent suffix)
- smil (from Old English smyl, Proto-Germanic smil-, meaning "to laugh or smile")
- e (a silent suffix in Modern English, often added to mark the word as a verb or noun)
Etymology Origin:
The word "smile" traces back to Old English smyl, derived from Proto-Germanic smil-, which likely imitated the sound or facial movement of laughter. Over time, the spelling evolved to "smile," retaining its core meaning of expressing joy or amusement. The silent "e" was added in Middle English, a common orthographic feature to indicate vowel length or word class.
She gave a warm smile to the stranger.
He couldn’t help but smile at the playful puppy.
A smile can brighten someone’s day.
The child smiled proudly after tying her shoes.
His smile faded when he heard the bad news.