Smite
/smaɪt/noun
To strike with a firm blow; to inflict punishment or injury.
Did you know?The word 'smite' has roots in ancient texts where it often referred to divine retribution, invoking the wrath of gods against wrongdoers.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
smitan
“To strike, to hit, or to smite forcefully.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
smitanan
“To strike or to hit, often with a sense of violence.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*smei-
“To smash or to strike.”
Middle English
ME
smiten
“To strike, often used in a poetic context to describe divine punishment or heroic deeds.”
Modern English
English
smite
“To deliver a blow, particularly with a sense of moral or divine justice.”