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Added 9 October 2026

smack

/smæk/ noun

In Latin: alapa Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about smack at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A blow from a flat object (as an open hand).
The taste experience when a savoury condiment is taken into the mouth.
A sailing ship (usually rigged like a sloop or cutter) used in fishing and sailing along the coast.

verb

Deliver a hard blow to.
The teacher smacked the student who had misbehaved
Have an element suggestive (of something).
his speeches smacked of racism
Have a distinctive or characteristic taste.
This tastes of nutmeg

adverb

Directly.
he ran bang into the pole

Origin

The noun is from Middle English smac, smak, smacke, from Old English smæc, smæċċ (“taste, smatch”), from Proto-West Germanic *smakku, from Proto-Germanic *smakkuz (“a taste”), from Proto-Indo-European *smegʰ-, *smeg- (“to taste”). The verb is from Middle English smaken. Doublet of smatch (obsolete, “taste”; q.v.), from Old English smæċċan (“to taste, smack”). Cognate with Scots smak (“scent, smell, taste, flavour”), Saterland Frisian Smoak (“taste”), West Frisian smaak (“taste”), Dutch smaak (“taste”), German Schmack, Geschmack (“taste”), Danish smag (“taste”), Swedish and Norwegian smak (“taste”), Norwegian smekke.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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