'wisecracker' originates from English (compound formation), specifically from the word 'wisecrack' + agent suffix '-er', where 'wise' meant 'knowing' or 'clever' and 'crack' meant 'a sharp or witty remark'.

'wisecracker' changed from the earlier compound 'wisecrack' (a noun meaning 'a witty or sarcastic remark') with the addition of the agent suffix '-er' and eventually became the modern English word 'wisecracker'. 'Wisecrack' itself dates from the late 19th century, combining 'wise' + 'crack' (meaning 'a witty remark').

Initially, it meant 'a person who makes witty remarks,' but over time it evolved to often carry a slightly negative sense of 'a person who makes flippant, sarcastic, or annoying jokes'.