noun / verb

grin

GRIN/ɡrˈɪn/

A broad smile, or to smile broadly.

He grins broadly with his teeth showing and his cheeks lifted.

A close, chest-up portrait of an older East Asian man with a broad, tooth-showing grin, his lifted cheeks and gently crinkled eyes expressing genuine amusement.

Etymology

Grennian described showing the teeth in pain or anger. This became baring the teeth in a broad smile, perhaps through the idea of a forced or unnatural smile; the noun names that expression.

In context

Enhanced Public Domain60:16

… with an incredulous smile which gradually broadened into a grin of delight

1920s Mystery Audiobook • Dorothy L. Sayers - Whose Body?

More examples

A shy grin crossed her face.
The children grinned at the surprise.
They are grinning for the photograph.

Forms

grin · grins · grinned · grinning

Similar words

smile: Smile need not be broad or show teeth.
beam: Beam especially suggests obvious happiness.