smart aleck
[ al-ik ]
/ ˈæl ɪk /
noun
an obnoxiously conceited person.
a wise guy.
Origin of smart aleck
1860–65,
Americanism; generic use of
Aleck, nickname for
Alexander
OTHER WORDS FROM smart aleck
smart-al·eck·y, smart-al·eck, adjectiveWords nearby smart aleck
smaragdine,
smaragdite,
smarm,
smarmy,
smart,
smart aleck,
smart as a whip,
smart ass,
smart bomb,
smart card,
smart casual
Example sentences from the Web for smart aleck
British Dictionary definitions for smart aleck
smart aleck
/ (ˈælɪk) /
noun plural smart alecks
informal
an irritatingly oversmart person
Derived forms of smart aleck
smart-aleck or smart-alecky, adjectiveWord Origin for smart aleck
C19: from
Aleck, Alec, short for
Alexander
Idioms and Phrases with smart aleck
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.