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Glite Dictionary
merry smile

merry smile

1 1.1
A happy look on someone's face that shows joy
  • noun
: sonrisa alegre
  • The children's faces lit up with a merry smile as they opened their presents on Christmas morning.

Examples

  • She could see the merry smile, feel the laughter of his eyes.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Her merry smile brightened the room and made everyone feel welcome.

  • He greeted us with a merry smile, instantly lifting our spirits on that rainy day.

Synonyms

grin
vsmerry smile
137 1.0

A broad smile showing the teeth when someone is happy or amused

expresses simple cheer rather than an especially wide mouth
big smile
vsmerry smile
69 1.0

A wide friendly movement of the mouth that shows happiness

is used for plain cheer rather than emphasizing large size
warm smile
vsmerry smile
7 1.0

A friendly expression on the face that shows real kindness

is more general cheerfulness rather than focused friendliness
incandescent smile
vsmerry smile
  • Literature
1 6.5

A bright warm look on someone's face that lights a room

focuses on normal cheer rather than intense glowing brightness
priceless smile
vsmerry smile
1 3.6

A smile that shows great joy and means a lot to someone

expresses ordinary cheer rather than intense, invaluable delight
twinkly-eyed smile
vsmerry smile
1 5.6

A warm happy expression with bright lively eyes

focuses on general cheer without eye sparkle
wee smile
vsmerry smile
1 6.5

A small, quiet mouth movement that shows a little happiness

shows regular cheer rather than a tiny or faint expression
effulgent smile
vsmerry smile
  • Literature
8.7

A very bright smile that shows great happiness

expresses simple cheer rather than an intense shining quality
mahoosive grin
vsmerry smile
  • Slang
8.9

A very large, wide smile that shows great happiness

describes normal cheerfulness rather than exaggerated size from emotion

Antonyms

frown
53 1.0

A facial expression with the eyebrows pushed together showing dislike or worry

grimace
13 5.3

A twisted face that shows pain, disgust, or forced amusement

How Merry

grin
137 1.0
merry smile
1 1.1
smile
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

merry smile singular
merry smiles plural

Morphology

merry + smile

The meaning 'a smile that expresses cheerfulness or joy' is directly derivable from combining 'merry' (joyful) with 'smile' (a facial expression), so a learner who knows the constituent words can infer the phrase. This simple adjective+noun collocation follows standard compositional patterns common across languages, making it immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner.

Etymology

The phrase merry smile links merry (a word for being bright and cheerful) and smile, making the picture of someone smiling as if at a small happy moment. That's why a merry smile means a smile that shows 'cheerfulness' or 'joy'.