wiseacre
|wise-acre|
🇺🇸
/ˈwaɪz.eɪ.kər/
🇬🇧
/ˈwaɪz.eɪ.kə/
pretends to be clever
Etymology
'wiseacre' originates from English, formed in the mid 16th century by combining 'wise' (meaning knowledgeable) with the jocular/pejorative element 'acre' to create an agent noun meaning a person pretending to be wise.
'wiseacre' appears in Early Modern English in much the same form and has remained relatively unchanged into modern English as 'wiseacre' (and plural 'wiseacres').
Initially it meant someone who pretended to be wise; over time the word has kept that pejorative sense and is now used informally to mean 'smart aleck' or 'know-it-all'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an informal, often pejorative term for a person who pretends to be clever or acts as if they know more than others (a smart aleck or know-it-all).
Don't be such a wiseacre.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
a person who makes sarcastic, facetious, or annoying clever remarks — often used to describe someone whose witticisms are irritating rather than genuinely clever.
He answered like a wiseacre and annoyed the teacher.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/18 07:40