Word of the Day

: August 7, 2009

smithereens

noun smih-thuh-REENZ

What It Means

: fragments, bits

smithereens in Context

Had the ceramic vase fallen off the mantel, it would have smashed into smithereens.

Did You Know?

Despite its American sound and its common use by the fiery animated cartoon character Yosemite Sam, "smithereens" did not originate in American slang. Although no one is entirely positive about its precise origins, scholars think that "smithereens" likely developed from the Irish word "smidiríní," which means "little bits." That Irish word is the diminutive of "smiodar," meaning "fragment." Written record of the use of "smithereen" dates back to 1829.