adjective
Uncommon
smiley
SMEYE-lee
Smiley (adjective) means Cheerful and often smiling. Example: “She's always smiley, even on Monday mornings.”
adjective
1
Cheerful and often smiling.
"She's always smiley, even on Monday mornings."
noun
1
A simple drawing or symbol representing a smiling face, such as :) .
"He ended the text with a smiley."
How to use smiley
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCheerful-looking, or a simple smiling-face symbol used in text.
Common pairings
smiley face
a smiley emoji
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Word forms
- Plural
- smileys, smilies
- Comparative
- smilier
- Superlative
- smiliest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She's always _____, even on Monday mornings.
Etymology
From smile plus the adjective-forming suffix -y; the noun sense grew out of "smiley face."
Rhymes for smiley
See all rhymes for smiley →Frequently asked questions
What does “smiley” mean?
The word “smiley” means cheerful and often smiling. In plain terms, cheerful-looking, or a simple smiling-face symbol used in text.
How do you pronounce “smiley”?
“Smiley” is pronounced SMEYE-lee (/ˈsmaɪli/ in IPA).
How do you use “smiley” in a sentence?
Here is “smiley” used in a sentence: “She's always smiley, even on Monday mornings.”
What part of speech is “smiley”?
Depending on how it is used, “smiley” can be an adjective and a noun.
Is “smiley” a common word?
“Smiley” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “smiley” have?
“Smiley” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: cheerful and often smiling.
