What does smithereen mean?
A smithereen is a small fragment of something that has been broken or shattered, particularly a piece of glass, pottery, stone, or another hard material. The word is normally plural, as in “the vessel smashed into smithereens,” and it evokes a cluster of scattered pieces rather than one intact fragment. Its alternatives include “shards,” “fragments,” “bits,” and “scraps,” but “smithereen” often adds a vivid sense of many tiny remnants produced by breakage. Although it can be used broadly, it is especially associated with shattered glass and crockery. The word is common in British and American English, though it may sound somewhat literary or descriptive in formal writing.
nounSmall pieces or fragments, especially of a broken or shattered object. It is often used collectively for the scattered fragments of glass, pottery, or similar material.
- Small pieces or fragments, especially of something broken or shattered.
"She swept up the smithereens of the broken cup."
"The dropped bottle broke into a thousand tiny smithereens."
"The old wall crumbled into smithereens at the foot of the cliff."
The plural is standard and is normally used in both count and collective senses.
"The wind scattered the smithereens across the pavement."
A single shattered object can become an entire collection of smithereens.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does smithereen come from?
The word appears in the nineteenth century and is generally traced to an Irish diminutive associated with a word meaning “ruin” or “fragment.” Its precise development has been debated, and some sources also connect it with an older English word related to “smith.” The current meaning developed from the sense of a small piece of broken material.
How smithereen is actually used
The word has a somewhat literary or descriptive tone and is especially associated with broken glass, pottery, and other hard objects. It is usually used in the plural.