SMITE
What does "SMITE" mean?
To strike with a heavy blow, often as an act of divine punishment.
Meanings
- To strike hard, especially to defeat or kill. The hero vowed to smite the giant. archaic
- To afflict or punish, as by an act of God. A plague smote the rebellious city. archaic
- To affect powerfully and suddenly, especially with love or longing. He was utterly smitten the moment they met. figurative
Did you know?
- Being 'smitten' with love comes from the same verb as smiting an enemy: 'smitten' is just the old past participle of smite, so to fall for someone is, etymologically, to be struck down.
Word origin
From Old English 'smitan', meaning to smear, soil, or strike; related to German 'schmeissen' (to fling or hit), with the senses of striking and being struck by emotion both surviving.
Remember it
SMITE is one letter from SMILE - love can do either; smitten is being smitten.
A little poem
The same swift hand that swore to smite the foe
fell open at her glance across the hall-
struck down, and grateful for the falling.
tercet
Wordplay
- The thunder god joined a dating app and got smitten - same verb, much softer outcome.
What it teaches
The blow and the swoon share a root: love is just the strike you don't defend against.
Quick facts
What does SMITE mean?
To strike with a heavy blow, often as an act of divine punishment.
Is SMITE a valid word?
Yes — SMITE is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is SMITE?
SMITE has 5 letters and 1 syllable.
Where does SMITE come from?
From Old English 'smitan', meaning to smear, soil, or strike; related to German 'schmeissen' (to fling or hit), with the senses of striking and being struck by emotion both surviving.
What can SMITE teach us?
The blow and the swoon share a root: love is just the strike you don't defend against.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.