different between officious vs saucy

English

Etymology

16th century, from Latin offici?sus (“kindly”), from officium (“service”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -???s

Adjective

officious (comparative more officious, superlative most officious)

1. (obsolete) Obliging, attentive, eager to please.
2. Offensively intrusive or interfering in offering advice and services.

Usage notes

Readers guessing the meaning of the word officious from context have sometimes guessed that it referred to the excessive bureaucratic formality of officialdom, but its connection to office, official, and the Latin officium (“service”) is with the kindly and solicitous aspect thereof rather than with the bureaucratic chill. Thus officious is not to be confused with punctilious.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• sawcy (obsolete)

Etymology

From sauce +? -y .

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?s??.s?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?s?.si/
  • (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /?s?.si/
• Rhymes: -??si
• Rhymes: -?si

Adjective

saucy (comparative saucier, superlative sauciest)

1. Similar to sauce; having the consistency or texture of sauce.
2. Impertinent or disrespectful, often in a manner that is regarded as entertaining or amusing; smart.
   • ~1603, William Shakespeare, Othello, the Moor of Venice, Act I, scene I, line 143:

     If this be known to you, and your allowance/ When we have done you bold and saucy wrongs.

   She is a loud, saucy child who doesn't show a lot of respect to her elders.

3. Impudently bold; pert.
4. Sharp; pungent; piquant.
5. Mildly erotic.

   I enjoyed the dancing, but my wife found it a little too saucy.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:cheeky

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• sassy

References

Anagrams

• yucas