A smile given in response to another smile, or a smile that contradicts or opposes an emotional state.
Combines 'counter-' (responding against) with 'smile' (facial expression of happiness). 'Smile' has uncertain origins but appears in Middle English around the 1300s, possibly from Scandinavian roots. The compound suggests intentional opposition or reaction.
Psychologists studying facial expressions note that countersmiles reveal social masking—we often reflexively return smiles even when unhappy, making it one of the most universal forms of social dishonesty humans engage in.
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