smarm
Smarmy language or behaviorSmarmy language or behavior.
Meaning
2 senses(countable, uncountable)Smarmy language or behavior.
(countable, slang, uncountable)A style of fan fiction in which characters are warm and caring toward each other but without sexual overtones.
- excessive but superficial compliments given with affected charm
Origin
The noun is attested since 1914, from the colloquial verb smalm, smarm (“to smear, bedaubThe noun is attested since 1914, from the colloquial verb smalm, smarm (“to smear, bedaub (hair, with pomade)”), attested since 1847, of unknown origin, perhaps somehow suggestive of the action. Verbal meaning "to smear with flattery" is from 1902.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: smarmsSynonyms
2 synonyms- excessive but superficial compliments given with affected charm:unctionfulsomeness
Word family
1 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.