English

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Etymology

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From Middle English smartnesse, smertnesse, equivalent to smart +‎ -ness. Cognate with Middle Dutch smartenisse (pain, injury, insult, scorn, agony).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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smartness (countable and uncountable, plural smartnesses)

  1. (uncountable) The state or quality of being smart, intelligence.
  2. (uncountable) The state or quality of being smart in appearance.
    • 1947 March and April, “Notes and News: The Lauder Light Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 116:
      The station buildings at Oxton and Lauder have been repainted, and a general air of smartness prevails, marred only by some broken signal spectacles.
  3. (countable) The result or product of being smart.

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Anagrams

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