smitten

American  

[smit-n] / ˈsmɪt n /

adjective

1. overwhelmed with attraction or affection toward someone or something.

2. struck, such as with a hard blow.

3. grievously or disastrously stricken or afflicted.

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verb

1. a past participle of smite.

smitten British  

/ ˈsmɪtən /

verb

1. a past participle of smite

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adjective

1. (postpositive) affected by love (for)

Usage

What does smitten mean? Smitten is most popularly used to mean deeply in love. It can also mean infatuated due to being extremely impressed or fond of someone or something, as in I’m just smitten with your new hairstyle or She’s smitten with her new granddaughter. Another way to say any of these things is in love. In a more negative sense, smitten can mean severely or intensely affected or afflicted, such as by illness. All of these senses derive from the fact that smitten is the past participle of the verb smite, which means to strike, damage, injure, attack, or afflict. While smite is often associated with archaic uses (such as its use in the King James Bible to refer to the wrath of God), most senses of the word smitten don’t have this association. Example: I can tell just by the look in your eyes that you’re smitten. What’s his name?

Other Word Forms

• unsmitten
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of smitten

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English; equivalent to smite + -en ³

Explanation

Smitten means overwhelmed or struck by something, usually love. The way you light up every time the waiter comes over to your table, it’s obvious you’re smitten with him. Smitten is related to the verb smite, which comes from the Old English smitan, meaning “to hit, strike, beat.” What do hitting and beating have to do with love, you may ask? Well, when some people fall in love they report feeling as though they've been "struck by lightning." Obviously those people have never actually been struck by lightning, because when you're struck by lightning you don't start saying things like, "Oh, you like the beach? Brad loves the beach!" and, "You have a cat? So does Brad!"

Example Sentences

Smitten by him and enraptured by the practice of speaking in tongues, which was thought to be channeling the divine, Aimee married him in 1908.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2025

Deb Perelman, the best-selling cookbook author and creator of Smitten Kitchen, tends to focus her social media posts on her work, like pasta or chocolate chip cookie recipes.

From New York Times • Nov. 2, 2023

Yes, I can and do read plenty on my numerous devices, and yes, I do have Smitten Kitchen bookmarked and Google the phrase "best ____ recipe" daily.

From Salon • Jun. 3, 2023

Perelman began her Smitten Kitchen cooking site in 2006, and in the years since, she has amassed a loyal fan base with her comforting, straightforward cooking.

From Washington Post • Jan. 10, 2023

Smitten friends Are angels sent on errands full of love; For us they languish, and for us they die: And shall they languish, shall they die, in vain?

From Young's Night Thoughts With Life, Critical Dissertation and Explanatory Notes by Young, Edward