Smile
/smaɪl/noun
A facial expression formed by flexing the muscles at the sides of the mouth.
Did you know?The Old English word for smile, 'smylian,' was often associated with both joy and cunning, hinting at the duality of this expression.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*smei-
“to smile, to show joy or to mock.”
Old English
Old English
smylian
“to smile, to be pleased.”
Middle English
Middle English
smilen
“to smile, to show happiness or amusement.”
16th Century
Early Modern English
smile
“to express pleasure or amusement through facial expression.”
Modern English
English
smile
“the current form used to denote a facial expression of happiness or amusement.”