Pronunciation: [smˈakɪŋ] (IPA) 
The word "smacking" is spelled with a "ck" at the end instead of just a "k" because of the English language's spelling rules. When a word has a short vowel sound followed by a consonant sound, and that consonant sound is at the end of a word or followed by a suffix that starts with a vowel, the final consonant is doubled. This is known as the "doubled consonant" rule. In IPA phonetic transcription, "smacking" is spelled /ˈsmækɪŋ/.
Smacking is a verb that refers to the act of striking or hitting someone or something with a loud, sharp sound. It commonly describes the action of delivering a forceful blow with the open hand, usually resulting in a loud noise and sometimes causing pain or discomfort. Smacking can be done as a disciplinary action towards a child, as a form of physical punishment, or as a means to prompt someone to stop a particular behavior. In some cultures or families, smacking may be considered an acceptable or appropriate form of discipline, while in others it may be seen as abusive or harmful.
Additionally, smacking can also be used to describe the sound produced by this type of strike. It can refer to the loud, sharp noise that is created when a person's open hand makes contact with an object or a person's body. For example, the sound of smacking can be heard when someone smacks their lips together, indicating a certain satisfaction or anticipation of something. Similarly, smacking can describe the noise produced when an object hits a hard surface, such as the smacking of a ball against a wall.
Overall, smacking is the act of forcefully hitting or striking someone or something, often accompanied by a loud, sharp sound.
• A sharp quick noise.
• Making a sharp brisk sound.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word smacking is derived from the verb smack, which in turn comes from Old Norse. The Old Norse term smekkja meant to slap or strike sharply. This word was eventually adopted into Middle English as smacken, which had similar meanings referring to striking or hitting. Over time, the term's usage expanded to include the action of making a loud noise when hitting or clapping. Thus, the word smack now encompasses a broader range of meanings, including a sharp sound, a taste, or a style of kissing. The -ing suffix added to smack forms the present participle and gerund form of the verb, creating the word smacking.
