wiseacre

(wīzā′kər)

noun

a person who makes annoyingly conceited claims to knowledge

Origin: altered by folk etym. < MDu wijssegger, altered (infl. by wijs, wise + zeggen, to say) < OHG wissago, altered (infl. by wis, wise + sago, speaker < sagen, to say) < wizzago, prophet < Gmc *witag-, knowing: for IE base see wise

See wiseacre in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
Slang
A person regarded as being disagreeably egotistical and self-assured.

Origin:

Origin: Alteration by folk etymology from Middle Dutch wijsseggher, soothsayer

Origin: , translation of Middle High German wīssage

Origin: , from Old High German wīssago, seer

Origin: , alteration (influenced by forasago, sayer beforehand, prophet)

Origin: of wīzago

Origin: , from wīzag, knowledgeable; see weid- in Indo-European roots

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