different between wiseacre vs wiseass

English

Etymology

From Middle Dutch wijssegger (“soothsayer”), from Old High German w?zzago, w?zago (“wise man, prophet, soothsayer”), from Proto-West Germanic *w?tag? (“wise one; prophet”). Cognate with Old English w?tega (“wise man, prophet”). See also German Weissager (“soothsayer, seer”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?wa?ze?k?(?)/

Noun

wiseacre (plural wiseacres)

1. One who feigns knowledge or cleverness; one who is wisecracking; an insolent upstart.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:know-it-all

   • 1869, Mark Twain, the Innocents Abroad, Random House (2003), pages 298-299

     That other class of wiseacres who twist prophecy in such a manner as to make it promise the destruction and desolation of the same city, use judgement just as bad, since the city is in a very flourishing condition now, unhappily for them.

2. (obsolete) A learned or wise man. [from before 1600]

Derived terms

• wiseacring

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• wise-ass

Etymology

wise +? -ass

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?wa?zæs/

Noun

wiseass (plural wiseasses)

1. One who makes wisecracks, particularly in a sassy or cocky fashion.

Synonyms

• (one who makes wisecracks in a sassy or cocky fashion): wisecracker, smart aleck, wise guy, wiseacre