wise guy

American  

noun

1. Informal.  a cocksure, conceited, and often insolent person; smart aleck.

   He has a reputation for being a wise guy.

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wise guy British  

noun

1. informal  a person who is given to making conceited, sardonic, or insolent comments

2. a member of the Mafia

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wise guy Idioms  

1. An obnoxious know-it-all, a person who makes sarcastic or annoying remarks, as in the teacher was delighted that the worst wise guy in the class was moving out of town. [Slang; second half of 1800s] Also see smart aleck.

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Other Word Forms

• wise-guy adjective

Etymology

Origin of wise guy

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Example Sentences

“And if he got in a fight, he had nothing to back it up but being a wise guy. It was exactly who the character was.”

From New York Times

He’s a wise guy throughout, and short on insight but packed with silliness mostly based on reacting to stuff on the screen.

From Washington Times

“Jeff spent over 40 years covering the worst of the worst of Las Vegas. This was a guy who ran down mobsters, wise guys and killers.”

From Seattle Times

And don’t worry — not all of them are wise guys.

From Los Angeles Times

"If it's my fault," he said, "why is it the case in every other major industrial country in the world that inflation is higher? You ask yourself that? I'm not being a wise guy."

From BBC

Related Words

• know-it-all