smarmy
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smarmy
- /ˈsmɑː.mi/ UK
- /ˈsmɑɹ.mi/ US
Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)mi
Where it comes from
From smarm + -y. Apparently coined by "B.R.L., of Brighton" with sense "saying treacly things which do not sound genuine" in a competition for neologisms in The Academy (London) published on 14 January 1899.
adjective smarmier · smarmiest
-
Falsely earnest, smug, ingratiating, or pious.
a smarmy salesman with a big smile
Similar: flattering, gushing, ingratiating, oily, smug, greasy
- Unctuous, greasy, as hair from pomade. He looked faintly loutish, with smarmy hair and a hint of a moustache.
Translations
Every language
adj Falsely earnest, smug, or ingratiating
| Español | zalamero |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | ごますりの gomasuri-no |
| Français | obséquieux |
| Deutsch | schmierig, kriecherisch, pomadig, schmeichlerisch, gefühlsduselig |
| Italiano | ossequioso, servile, deferente |
| Русский | льсти́вый lʹstívyj |
Talk about this word "smarmy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/smarmy. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. smarmy. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/smarmy "smarmy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/smarmy.Cite this
@misc{smarmy_2026,
title = {smarmy},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/smarmy},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
