simper
- to smile in a silly, self-conscious way.
- to say with a simper.
- a silly, self-conscious smile.
Origin of simper
Synonyms for simper
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comExamples from the Web for simpering
Contemporary Examples of simpering
No “simpering chit” of a girl, Rebecca is fierce and steely, a woman whose own father cannot quite figure her out.
Must Read Fiction: ‘Prague Fatale,’ ‘Derby Day’ and MoreMalcolm Forbes, Hillary Kelly, Mythili Rao
May 9, 2012
Historical Examples of simpering
Some other simpering thing, na doot-they're all alike these days.
The ChristianHall Caine
You're simpering at some hidden invention of your own, and you know it.
Miss Pat at SchoolPemberton Ginther
When I got fed up on a bunch of simpering women and their, 'ain't he cute?'
David Lannarck, MidgetGeorge S. Harney
"Hay has got all the money," said the simpering admirer who answered to the name of Tempest.
The Opal SerpentFergus Hume
You might as well be a simpering wax dummy out of a shop window.
JewelClara Louise Burnham
simper
- (intr) to smile coyly, affectedly, or in a silly self-conscious way
- (tr) to utter (something) in a simpering manner
- a simpering smile; smirk
Word Origin for simper
Word Origin and History for simpering
1580s, present participle adjective from simper (v.). Related: Simperingly.
simper
1560s, "to smile in an affected and silly way," perhaps from a Scandinavian source (e.g. dialectal Danish semper "affected, coy, prudish") or Middle Dutch zimperlijk "affected, coy, prim," of unknown origin. Related: Simpered; simpering. As a noun, 1590s, from the verb.