saucy

[saw-see]

See more synonyms for saucy on Thesaurus.com

adjective, sau·ci·er, sau·ci·est.

impertinent; insolent: a saucy remark; a saucy child.
pert; boldly smart: a saucy little hat for Easter.

Origin of saucy

First recorded in 1500–10; sauce + -y¹

Related formssau·ci·ly, adverbsau·ci·ness, nouno·ver·sau·cy, adjective

Synonyms for saucy

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1. rude, impudent, fresh, brazen. 2. jaunty.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for saucy

rude, brash, cheeky, flippant, arch, audacious, bold, brazen, combative, flip, forward, fresh, impertinent, impudent, insolent, intrusive, meddlesome, nervy, obtrusive, pert

Examples from the Web for saucy

Contemporary Examples of saucy

The animated video clip accompanying the leak of “Gentleman” hints that some saucy booty shaking will be involved.
‘Gentleman’: Is ‘Psy’s ‘Gangnam’ Follow-Up Any Good?
Kevin Fallon
April 11, 2013
The saucy and self-possessed singer had kicked her cocaine drug habit and hired a new manager, Lupe De Leon.
Etta James’s Son Donto Says Addiction Was Part of Famed Singer’s Life
Christine Pelisek
November 15, 2012
The now-former CIA director and his alleged mistress, Paula Broadwell, often wrote each other saucy email messages.
Rules David Petraeus Broke: Seven Tips for a Top-Secret Affair
Lizzie Crocker
November 13, 2012
The woman is a force of nature: tough, spirited, saucy, straight-talking, fierce.
Michelle Obama’s Democratic Convention Speech: What She Needs to Do
Michelle Cottle
September 4, 2012
TMZ, which originally acquired the saucy snaps, says today in a blog entry that, "Harry's people dropped the ball."
"Harry's Security Team Acted Like A Bunch of Amateurs"
Tom Sykes
August 23, 2012

Historical Examples of saucy

Such a saucy meekness; such a best manner; and such venom in words!
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
Primrose is now almost a young lady, and, Eustace tells me, is just as saucy as ever.
Tanglewood Tales
Nathaniel Hawthorne
I wonder not at Lovelace's saucy answer, saucy as it really is.
Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
But you know I ever was a saucy creature—ever stood in need of great allowances.
Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
"Not if they wait till I pass 'em," answered Tip in his prompt, saucy way.
Tip Lewis and His Lamp
Pansy

British Dictionary definitions for saucy

saucy

adjective saucier or sauciest

impertinent
pert; jauntya saucy hat

Derived Formssaucily, adverbsauciness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for saucy

adj.

c.1500, "resembling sauce," later "impertinent, flippantly bold, cheeky" (1520s), from sauce (n.) + -y (2). The connecting notion is the figurative sense of "piquancy in words or actions." Cf. sauce malapert "impertinence" (1520s), and slang phrase to have eaten sauce "be abusive" (1520s). Also cf. salty in same senses.