semi-smile

English

WOTD – 1 December 2011

Etymology

semi- +‎ smile

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

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Noun

semi-smile (plural semi-smiles)

1. A faint smile.
   • 2004, Susan M. Kirschbaum, “Frills and Chills”, in The New York Observer:

     She curled her pink lips upward in a shy semi-smile.

   • 1874, Mrs. Macquoid, Appletons' Journal: Volume 12, D. Appleton & Co., page 623:

     I saw him glance at his wife, and she gave a semi-smile of approval.

2. A suppressed or forced smile.
   • 2008, Charles H. Sylvester, Journeys Through Bookland, Volume 7, Wildside Press, page 34:

     He stood looking at nothing in particular, with the blushing, awkward air and semi-smile which are common to shy boys when in company, -- very much as if they had come into the world by mistake, and found it in a degree of undress that was quite embarrassing.

Translations

faint smile

• Finnish: hymy (fi), hymynkare
• Icelandic: hálfbrós
• Russian: полуулы́бка (ru) f (poluulýbka)

suppressed or forced smile

• Finnish: hymynkare (suppressed); hymyntapainen (forced)
• Russian: натя́нутая улы́бка (natjánutaja ulýbka)

References

• “semi-smile”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.