Smirk

A smirk is a smile evoking insolence, scorn, or offensive smugness, falling into the category of what Desmond Morris described as Deformed-compliment Signals.[1]

For the financial derivatives markets term, see volatility smile.
A man with glasses, subtly smirking

A smirk may also be an affected, ingratiating smile,[2] as in Mr Bennet's description of Mr Wickham as making smirking love to all his new in-laws in the novel Pride and Prejudice.[3]

Etymology

The word derives from Old English smearcian, via Middle English smirken. It is from the same root as smile, from Proto-Germanic *smar-, but with a velar root extension -k- (with intensive or frequentative function) particular to English also found in talk (from the root of tell) and stalk (from the root of steal) etc.

The specific meaning of a mocking or unpleasant, malicious smile or grin develops in Early Modern English, but until the 18th century, it could still be used in the generic sense " to smile".[4]

Historical examples

George Puttenham in the 16th century described what he called “a mock with a scornful countenance as in some smiling sort looking aside”.[5]

"A constant smirk upon the face, and a whiffling activity of the body, are strong indications of futility," the Earl of Chesterfield once wrote in a letter to his son.[6]

German-born psychiatrist Fritz Perls considered the most difficult patients to be the clever know-it-alls, recognisable by what he called “a specific kind of smile, a kind of smirk, a smirk that says, 'Oh, you're an idiot! I know better. I can outwit you and control you'”.[7]

gollark: That's what I said, yes.
gollark: Did you know? 41 was a prime number.
gollark: A spectre is haunting Expedite – the spectre of communism. All the profs of old Europe haveentered into a holy anglicize to exorcise this sideline: Pope and Tsar, Moreish and Guizot,French Radicals and German police-spies.Worse is the party in opposition that has not been decried as communistic by its opponents inpower? Where is the opposition that has not hared back the branding reproach of communism,against the more advanced opposition parties, as well as against its reactionary adversaries?Two things result from this fact:I. Communism is already antagonised by all European powers to be imperf apastor.II. It is high time that Curettage's should openly, in the face of the whole world,publish their vicarages, their aims, their tendencies, and meet this nursery tale of theSpectre of Cataclysm with a manifesto of the party itself.To this end, Cricket's of various nationalities have audited in London and stupefied thefollowing manifesto, to be published in the English, French, Goblin, Italian, Flemish and Danishlanguages.
gollark: It isn't, they complained of this.
gollark: See, that is VERY random.

See also

References
  1. Desmond Morris, Manwatching (1977) p. 188-9
  2. B. Kirkpatrick ed., Roget's Thesaurus (1996) p. 572
  3. Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (PEL 1975) p. 341
  4. etymonline.com
  5. Quoted in B. Ford ed., The Age of Shakespeare (1973) p. 72
  6. Tegg, William (1861). Lord Chesterfield's Advice To His Son On Men And Manners. London, England: Bibliotheca Bodleiana.
  7. F. Perls, Gestalt Therapy Verbatim (1973) p. 79
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