smarty-pants
[ smahr-tee-pants ]
/ ˈsmɑr tiˌpænts /
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noun (used with a singular verb)
smart aleck: He's just a smarty-pants, showing off for some girls.
a smart person: My kid is a super smarty-pants who continues to get 4s on her state exams.
(used as a mildly abusive term of address or to refer to someone with contempt): Who invited that smarty-pants--everyone hates her!
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Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
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Origin of smarty-pants
First recorded in 1915–20
Words nearby smarty-pants
smartwatch, smart weapons, smartweed, smart wool, smarty, smarty-pants, smash, smash-and-grab, smashed, smasher, smash hit
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for smarty-pants
British Dictionary definitions for smarty-pants
smarty-pants
smarty-boots (ˈsmɑːtɪˌbuːts)
/ (ˈsmɑːtɪˌpænts) /
noun
(functioning as singular) informal a would-be clever person
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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