smart aleck
Use Smart aleck in a sentence
ɪk noun
1.
an obnoxiously conceited person.
2.
a wise guy.
Origin:
1860–65, Americanism; generic use of Aleck, nickname for Alexander
1860–65, Americanism; generic use of Aleck, nickname for Alexander
Related forms
smart-al·eck·y, smart-al·eck, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To smart aleck
Collins
World English Dictionary
smart aleck (ˈælɪk) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl smart alecks | |
| informal an irritatingly oversmart person | |
| [C19: from Aleck, Alec, short for Alexander] | |
| 'smart-aleck | |
| —adj | |
| 'smart-alecky | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Smart aleck
is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
smart aleck
An impudent or obnoxiously self-assertive individual, a wise guy, as in New teachers often have a hard time coping with the smart alecks in their classes. This expression, dating from the mid-1800s, probably alluded to a person of this description who was named Alec or Alexander, but his identity has been lost.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
He's the office smart aleck, a touch obnoxious but irresistible.
He greets guests in smart aleck fashion and answers questions from those brave enough to interact with him.
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