smokey
1 Americannoun
plural
smokeys-
an officer or officers of a state highway patrol.
-
a state police car.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of smokey
An Americanism dating back to 1970–75; shortened from Smokey Bear, a cartoon bear used in the U. S. Forest Service's fire prevention campaign, depicted wearing a hat similar to those worn by state police officers
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Over a simple acoustic backing, he reminisces about "smokey bars and cheap guitars", observing that while Liverpool is always changing, "nothing can erase the days we left behind".
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
Swims' smokey, rich voice has captivated audiences and it's only right his impact has garnered him a Best New Artist nod.
From Salon • Jan. 27, 2025
Whiffs of that distinct smokey smell may serve as a pleasant reminder of the evening prior, but in the wake of a wildfire, that smell comes with ongoing health risks.
From Science Daily • Jan. 2, 2024
She noted that she was in the courtroom Wednesday when Shane Doyle, the father of two of the challengers in the case, testified that smokey summers were rare in his childhood.
From Scientific American • Jun. 16, 2023
Now, with Mrs. Frisby’s help, he forced open Brutus’s mouth and poured in just a few drops of the smokey liquid the bottle contained.
From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.