Question

smithereens noun 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. : fragments, bits

Accepted Answer

August 7, 2009 smih-thuh-REENZ Had the ceramic vase fallen off the mantel, it would have smashed into smithereens.

Word	smithereens
Date	August 7, 2009
Type	noun
Syllables	smih-thuh-REENZ
Etymology	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.
Examples	Had the ceramic vase fallen off the mantel, it would have smashed into smithereens.
Definition	: fragments, bits

American Smithereens Irish Word August Noun Smih Thuh Reenz Sound