Smitten
/ˈsmɪt.ən/noun
Past participle of 'smite', meaning to strike or hit.
Did you know?In medieval times, to be smitten was often associated with being struck down by divine love, blurring the line between ecstasy and pain.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
smitan
“to strike, hit, or kill”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
smitaną
“to smash or strike”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*smei-
“to cut or to strike”
Middle English
ME
smitten
“past participle of smite, denoting being struck emotionally or physically”
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