What does the saying smart alec mean?
Definition of smart aleck : an obnoxiously conceited and self-assertive person with pretensions to smartness or cleverness. Other Words from smart aleck Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More About smart aleck.
What’s another word for being a smart alec?
In this page you can discover 20 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for smart aleck, like: know-it-all, smarty-pants, wise guy, smart-alec, braggart, wisecracker, wisenheimer, smart-ass, wise-ass, show off and clown.
Where does the term Smart Alec?
Ten years after Hoag’s arrest, “smart alec” entered the American lexicon, initially as police slang for a criminal who was too smart for his own good, or whose cockiness led to his arrest. Its first known printed use, in an 1862 Nevada newspaper article, was used to refer to a know-it-all convict.
Is it smart alec or Smart Alex?
A smart aleck, also spelled smart alek or smart alec, is someone whose sarcastic, wisecracking, or humorous manner is delivered in an offensive, obnoxious, or cocky way.
Is smart aleck a real word?
A smart aleck is someone who’s a wisecracking know-it-all. Greet a smart aleck by asking, “What’s up?” and they’re sure to answer, “The sky.” Smart alecks can be funny, but their humor is usually tinged with an obnoxious arrogance.
Where does the term Wisenheimer come from?
First used in the early 20th c. From wise + the German demonymic ending -enheimer. The form might be an alteration of the similarly formed and synonymous German Schlauberger (19th c.), possibly influenced by Pappenheimer (“person known for some behaviour; crony”) and/or involving a pun on Waisenheim (“orphanage”).
Is Smarty a correct word?
Examples of smarty in a Sentence Don’t be such a smarty. She’s a real smarty and does her job very well. These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word ‘smarty.
What is another word for a wise guy?
In this page you can discover 12 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for wise guy, like: wiseacre, witling, wisenheimer, good, smarty, smarty-pants, wisecracker, smart aleck, weisenheimer, malapert and know-it-all.
What is Smart Alex?
countable noun [oft NOUN noun] If you describe someone as a smart alec, you dislike the fact that they think they are very clever and always have an answer for everything. [informal, disapproval]
Is smart aleck a character trait?
Smart-aleck definition A person regarded as annoyingly self-assertive, especially for making impudent displays of knowledge.
Is Smart Alec capitalized?
He was arrested. The spellings smart alec and smart aleck are both listed by the Oxford English Dictionary as being acceptable, but the spelling smart aleck is about four times more popular than the smart alec spelling. Note that in neither case is the word alec or aleck capitalized.
Who is aleck?
Etymology. Aleck is a nickname for the male given name Alexander. The phrase “smart aleck” is possibly derived from the name of Aleck Hoag, a 19th-century con man and thief.