Origin of smart

before 1050; (v.) Middle English smerten, Old English -smeortan (only in the compound fyrsmeortende painful like fire), cognate with Old High German smerzan (German schmerzen); (adj.) Middle English smerte, smart quick, prompt, sharp, orig., biting, smarting, late Old English smearte, akin to the v.; (adv. and noun) Middle English smerte, derivative of the adj.

OTHER WORDS FROM smart

Example sentences from the Web for smart

British Dictionary definitions for smart (1 of 2)

Derived forms of smart

smartish, adjective smartly, adverb smartness, noun

Word Origin for smart

Old English smeortan; related to Old High German smerzan, Latin mordēre to bite, Greek smerdnos terrible

British Dictionary definitions for smart (2 of 2)

Smart
/ (smɑːt) /

noun

Christopher. 1722–71, British poet, author of A Song to David (1763) and Jubilate Agno (written 1758–63, published 1939). He was confined (1756–63) for religious mania and died in a debtors' prison