The Collaborative International Dictionary
Sardonic \Sar*don"ic\, a. [F. sardonique, L. sardonius, Gr. ?, ?, perhaps fr. ? to grin like a dog, or from a certain plant of Sardinia, Gr. ?, which was said to screw up the face of the eater.] Forced; unnatural; insincere; hence, derisive, mocking, malignant, or bitterly sarcastic; -- applied only to a laugh, smile, or some facial semblance of gayety.
Where strained, sardonic smiles are glozing still,
And grief is forced to laugh against her will.
--Sir H.
Wotton.
The scornful, ferocious, sardonic grin of a bloody
ruffian.
--Burke.
Sardonic grin or Sardonic laugh, an old medical term for a spasmodic affection of the muscles of the face, giving it an appearance of laughter.
Usage examples of "sardonic grin".
His great brown hand saluted it, and a brief, sardonic grin crossed his square-jawed face.
He himself felt his sardonic grin was set in ice upon his features.
Edirne had not noticed when Camanto struggled against a sardonic grin of complete agreement.