smirch
7 synonyms for smirch, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A mark of dirt, or a stain.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
Comes from Middle English *smorchen (“to spatter, soil”; attested in besmorchid (“bespattered, soiled all over”)), whose origin is uncertain. It may be a derivative of Middle English smeoren, smuren, smeren (“to smear”), or related to Middle English smotry (“sooty, grimy”). Compare also Middle English bismotered (“besp...
Full origin of smirch →