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smith

[smith]
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noun
  1. a worker in metal.
  2. a blacksmith.
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verb (used with object)
  1. to forge on an anvil; form by heating and pounding: to smith armor.
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Origin of smith

before 900; (noun) Middle English, Old English; cognate with German Schmied, Old Norse smithr, Gothic -smitha; (v.) Middle English smithen, Old English smithian; cognate with Old Norse smitha, Gothic gasmithōn

Smith

[smith]
noun
  1. Adam,1723–90, Scottish economist.
  2. Alfred E(manuel),1873–1944, U.S. political leader.
  3. Bessie,1894?–1937, U.S. singer.
  4. Charles HenryBill Arp, 1826–1903, U.S. humorist.
  5. David,1906–65, U.S. sculptor.
  6. Edmond Kir·by [kur-bee] /ˈkɜr bi/, 1824–93, Confederate general in the Civil War.
  7. Francis Hopkinson,1838–1915, U.S. novelist, painter, and engineer.
  8. George,1840–76, English archaeologist and Assyriologist.
  9. Hamilton Othanel,born 1931, U.S. microbiologist, codiscoverer of restriction enzymes: Nobel prize 1978.
  10. Hannah Whit·all [hwit-awl, wit‐] /ˈʰwɪt ɔl, ˈwɪt‐/, 1832–1911, U.S. writer and evangelist.
  11. Ian Douglas,1919–2007, Rhodesian political leader: prime minister 1964–79.
  12. Jed·e·di·ah Strong [jed-uh-dahy-uh strawng, strong] /ˌdʒɛd əˈdaɪ ə ˈstrɔŋ, ˈstrɒŋ/, 1799–1831, U.S. trapper and explorer, one of the mountain men in the early American West.
  13. John,1580–1631, English adventurer and colonist in Virginia.
  14. Joseph,1805–44, U.S. religious leader: founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
  15. Julia Ev·e·li·na [ev-uh-lahy-nuh] /ˌɛv əˈlaɪ nə/, 1792–1886, U.S. suffragist.
  16. Kathryn ElizabethKate, 1909–86, U.S. singer.
  17. Lo·gan Pear·sall [loh-guh n peer-sawl] /ˈloʊ gən ˈpɪər sɔl/, 1865–1946, U.S. essayist in England.
  18. Margaret Chase,1897–1995, U.S. politician.
  19. Michael,1932–2000, Canadian biochemist, born in England: Nobelprize 1993.
  20. Oliver,1918–1994, U.S. set designer and theatrical producer.
  21. RedWalter Wellesley Smith, 1905–82, U.S. sports journalist.
  22. Sydney,1771–1845, English clergyman, writer, and wit.
  23. Tony,1912–80, U.S. sculptor.
  24. William,1769–1839, English geologist.
  25. a male given name.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

artisanspecialistjourneymanmastermechanicmakermanufacturersmithwrighttechnicianmachinistblacksmithartificer

Examples from the Web for smith

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • "You are very kind, Captain Smith," said Robert, gratefully.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • Captain Smith he found to be a very different man from Captain Haley.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • From that time, therefore, Captain Rushton was known as Mr. Smith.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • Haley drew near, and heard Captain Rushton addressed as Mr. Smith.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • I no longer doubted the statement of Thompson and the speculator Smith.

British Dictionary definitions for smith

smith

noun
    1. a person who works in metal, esp one who shapes metal by hammering
    2. (in combination)a silversmith
  2. See blacksmith
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Word Origin

Old English; related to Old Norse smithr, Old High German smid, Middle Low German smīde jewellery, Greek smilē carving knife

Smith

noun
  1. Adam. 1723–90, Scottish economist and philosopher, whose influential book The Wealth of Nations (1776) advocated free trade and private enterprise and opposed state interference
  2. Alexander McCall. born 1948, Scottish writer and academic, born in Zimbabwe. His novels include The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1998), The Sunday Philosophy Club (2004) and 44 Scotland Street (2005)
  3. Bessie, known as Empress of the Blues. 1894–1937, US blues singer and songwriter
  4. Delia. born 1941, British cookery writer and broadcaster: her publications include The Complete Cookery Course (1982)
  5. F.E. See (1st Earl of) Birkenhead
  6. Harvey. born 1938, British showjumper
  7. Ian (Douglas). 1919–2007, Zimbabwean statesman; prime minister of Rhodesia (1964–79). He declared independence from Britain unilaterally (1965)
  8. John. ?1580–1631, English explorer and writer, who helped found the North American colony of Jamestown, Virginia. He was reputedly saved by the Indian chief's daughter Pocahontas from execution by her tribe. Among his works is a Description of New England (1616)
  9. John. 1938–94, British Labour politician; leader of the Labour Party 1992–94
  10. Joseph. 1805–44, US religious leader; founder of the Mormon Church
  11. Dame Maggie. born 1934, British actress. She has appeared in the films The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), California Suite (1978), The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1988), The Secret Garden (1993), Gosford Park (2001), the Harry Potter series (2001–11), and in the TV series Downton Abbey (from 2010)
  12. Stevie, real name Florence Margaret Smith. 1902–71, British poet. Her works include Novel on Yellow Paper (1936), and the poems `A Good Time was had by All' (1937) and `Not Waving but Drowning' (1957)
  13. Sydney. 1771–1845, British clergyman and writer, noted for The Letters of Peter Plymley (1807–08), in which he advocated Catholic emancipation
  14. Will (ard Christopher). born 1968, US film actor and rap singer; star of the television series The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (1990–96) and the films Men In Black (1997), Ali (2001), and I Robot (2004)
  15. Wilbur. born 1933, British novelist, born in Zambia. His novels include Where the Lion Feeds (1964), Monsoon (1999) and The Quest (2007)
  16. William. 1769–1839, English geologist, who founded the science of stratigraphy by proving that rock strata could be dated by the fossils they contained
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for smith

n.

Old English smið "blacksmith, armorer, one who works in metal" (jewelers as well as blacksmiths), more broadly, "handicraftsman, practitioner of skilled manual arts" (also including carpenters), from Proto-Germanic *smithaz "skilled worker" (cf. Old Saxon smith, Old Norse smiðr, Danish smed, Old Frisian smith, Old High German smid, German Schmied, Gothic -smiþa, in aiza-smiþa "coppersmith"), from PIE root *smi- "to cut, work with a sharp instrument" (cf. Greek smile "knife, chisel"). Attested as a surname since at least c.975.

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v.

Old English smiðian "to forge, fabricate, design," from the source of smith (n.). Related: Smithed; smithing.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
smith in Medicine

Smith

(smĭth)Hamilton Othanel Born 1931
  1. American microbiologist. He shared a 1978 Nobel Prize for the discovery of restriction enzymes and their application to molecular genetics.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
smith in Science

Smith

[smĭth]
  1. American microbiologist who isolated bacterial enzymes that could split genetic DNA into fragments large enough to retain genetic information but small enough to permit chemical analysis. The existence of these compounds (called restriction enzymes) was earlier predicted by Werner Arber, and their discovery revolutionized genetic engineering. For this work Smith shared the 1978 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine with Arber and Daniel Nathans.
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Smith,

  1. British-born Canadian biochemist who developed a method for making a specific genetic mutation at any spot on a DNA molecule. He shared with American biochemist Kary B. Mullis the 1993 Nobel Prize for chemistry.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.