smarty-pants

American  

[smahr-tee-pants] / ˈsmɑr tiˌpænts /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. smart aleck.

   He's just a smarty-pants, showing off for some girls.

2. a smart person.

   My kid is a super smarty-pants who continues to get 4s on her state exams.

3. (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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smarty-pants British  

/ ˈsmɑːtɪˌbuːts, ˈsmɑːtɪˌpænts /

noun

1. informal (functioning as singular) a would-be clever person

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Etymology

Origin of smarty-pants

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

His accent is Georgian, and he still says “nucular,” despite years of ridicule from all those Northern smarty pants.

From Washington Post • Apr. 7, 2023

I make a graham cracker crust that will knock the socks off any child, no matter how big of a smarty pants they are.

From Washington Post • Mar. 19, 2021

Why don’t you write a column about that, smarty pants?

From New York Times • Jul. 10, 2010

With a script by Lindsey Beer, the film stars Shannon Purser of “Stranger Things” as the decidedly Ringwaldian smarty pants Sierra Burgess.

From Los Angeles Times

Residual disdain for the teacher's pet makes it satisfying to catch a smarty pants like Gore in an error, while it's no fun to go after the class cutup.

From Time Magazine Archive