Smile: meaning, definitions and examples

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smile

 

[ smaɪl ]

Noun / Verb
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Noun

facial expression

A smile is a facial expression formed primarily by flexing the muscles at the sides of the mouth. It is an expression denoting pleasure, sociability, happiness, or amusement. Smiles can be involuntary or voluntary.

Synonyms

beam, grin, smirk

Examples of usage

  • She greeted him with a warm smile.
  • His smile lit up the room.
  • I couldn't help but smile back.
Context #2 | Verb

show happiness

To smile is to form a facial expression by flexing the muscles at the sides of the mouth, often to show happiness or amusement. Smiling can also be a way to express friendliness or to make someone feel comfortable.

Synonyms

beam, grin, smirk

Examples of usage

  • She smiled at the joke he told.
  • He smiled when he saw her coming towards him.

Translations

Translations of the word "smile" in other languages:

🇵🇹 sorrir

🇮🇳 मुस्कुराना

🇩🇪 lächeln

🇮🇩 senyum

🇺🇦 усміхатися

🇵🇱 uśmiechać się

🇯🇵 笑顔 (えがお, egao)

🇫🇷 sourire

🇪🇸 sonreír

🇹🇷 gülümsemek

🇰🇷 미소짓다 (misojitda)

🇸🇦 يبتسم (yabtasim)

🇨🇿 usmívat se

🇸🇰 usmievať sa

🇨🇳 微笑 (wēixiào)

🇸🇮 nasmehniti se

🇮🇸 brosa

🇰🇿 жымию

🇬🇪 ღიმილი (ghmili)

🇦🇿 gülümsəmək

🇲🇽 sonreír

Etymology

The word 'smile' originated from the Middle English word 'smilen,' which in turn came from the Old English word 'smilian,' meaning 'to smile or smirk.' The act of smiling has been recognized as a universal expression of happiness and friendliness across cultures and time periods.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #2,186, this word belongs to solid intermediate vocabulary. It's frequently used in both casual and formal contexts and is worth learning for better fluency.