Well-read · Old & rare words · Humour & insults
Wiseacre: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Wiseacre noun. Someone who acts as though they know everything.
How to say it
WYZE-ay-kuh/ˈwʌɪzˌeɪkə/
3 syllables, stressed on the first (WYZE).
Wiseacre in a sentence
Some wiseacre at the back kept correcting the tour guide's dates.
Every pub quiz has a wiseacre who argues with the answers.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- know-all
- smart alec
- clever clogs
- wise guy
Where wiseacre comes from
From Middle Dutch wijsseggher, a soothsayer, reshaped in English to look like acre.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Every pub quiz has a _____ who argues with the answers.
- gallimaufry
- wiseacre
- hobbledehoy
Show the answer
wiseacre: Every pub quiz has a wiseacre who argues with the answers.