Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A sebaceous secretion, especially the cheesy secretion that collects under the prepuce or around the clitoris.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Same as sebaceous humor (which see, under sebaceous).

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The soapy substance covering the skin of newborn infants.
  • noun The cheesy, sebaceous matter which collects between the glans penis and the foreskin.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A whitish sebaceous secretion that collects between the glans penis and foreskin or in the vulva.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a white secretion of the sebaceous glands of the foreskin

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin smēgma, detergent, from Greek, from smēkhein, to wash off.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin, from Ancient Greek σμῆγμα (smēgma), alternative spelling of σμῆμα (smēma, "soap, detergent"), from σμάω (smaō, "I wipe, clean").

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Examples

  • I thought the use of the word smegma in conjunction with a fruit was odd, but he didn’t seem to be joking.

    The Fruit Hunters Adam Leith Gollner 2008

  • I thought the use of the word smegma in conjunction with a fruit was odd, but he didn’t seem to be joking.

    The Fruit Hunters Adam Leith Gollner 2008

  • I thought the use of the word smegma in conjunction with a fruit was odd, but he didn’t seem to be joking.

    The Fruit Hunters Adam Leith Gollner 2008

  • The smegma is collected until the wad is big enough to fashion into a shank or shiv.

    REALLY? A ‘WICKER MAN’ SEQUEL? 2008

  • Few outside of the health professions hear or use the word smegma in everyday conversation.

    Common Sense Political Thought 2009

  • The bacteria, the skin cells, and the sebaceous matter together form a stinking mass called smegma.

    Modern Science in the Bible Ben Hobrink 2011

  • The bacteria, the skin cells, and the sebaceous matter together form a stinking mass called smegma.

    Modern Science in the Bible Ben Hobrink 2011

  • The bacteria, the skin cells, and the sebaceous matter together form a stinking mass called smegma.

    Modern Science in the Bible Ben Hobrink 2011

  • The bacteria, the skin cells, and the sebaceous matter together form a stinking mass called smegma.

    Modern Science in the Bible Ben Hobrink 2011

  • And lastly, a tight foreskin is unhygienic and leads to the accumulation of a foul-smelling cheesy material (called smegma) underneath it.

    rediff.com 2010

Comments

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  • Surely one of the most unpleasant words in the English language?

    January 2, 2007

  • This word makes an appearance in a lot of "yech" lists. Not surprising, really; I advise against looking at the Wikipedia article while eating.

    May 22, 2007

  • It's a shame, too, since it's a transliteration of the Greek word for "soap." ;-)

    May 22, 2007

  • The word smegma isn't unpleasant, SonofGroucho. It's the stuff it refers to that's so distasteful. I love the sound of the word, and it's got a nice look to it, also!

    January 17, 2009

  • That's an unusual reaction--I think in this case, the word sounds like what its meaning is, and so is not all that pleasant.

    ... Eugh...

    January 19, 2009

  • I should not have clicked on this page.

    May 27, 2010

  • Sorry. :-)

    May 27, 2010

  • See also i should not have clicked on this page. If you can tear yourself away from this page, on which you should not have clicked either.

    May 28, 2010

  • You know, this usage is on the word page. Kind of interesting:

    Then she desired her not to be sparing with the 'smegma', -- A material like soap, but used in a soft state. -- and to wash her hair as thoroughly as possible. —The Bride of the Nile — Volume 10

    May 28, 2010

  • Anyone for cheese?

    January 21, 2016