"wise guy" meaning in English

See wise guy in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Audio: En-au-wise guy.ogg Forms: wise guys [plural]
Head templates: {{en-noun}} wise guy (plural wise guys)
  1. (informal, mildly derogatory, sarcastic or humorous) One who is insolent or flippant; one who makes jokes or perpetrates pranks. Tags: derogatory, humorous, informal, mildly, sarcastic Categories (topical): People Synonyms (one who is insolent or flippant): know-all, know-it-all, smart aleck, smarty, wisecracker, wisenheimer Translations (one who is insolent or flippant): neropatti (Finnish), viisastelija (Finnish), petit rigolo (French), Naseweis [masculine] (German), Rotznase [feminine] (German), Schlaumeier [masculine] (German), Neunmalkluger [masculine] (German), Besserwisser [masculine] (German), Klugscheißer [masculine] (German), חכמולוג (Hebrew), insolente [masculine] (Italian), smargiasso [masculine] (Italian), sapientone [masculine] (Italian), fanfarone [masculine] (Italian), spaccone [masculine] (Italian), همه چیزدان (Persian), عقلِ کُل (Persian), vivo (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-wise_guy-en-noun-yKVIFhR8 Disambiguation of People: 29 0 5 35 30 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 27 30 37 4 2 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 29 30 34 5 1 Disambiguation of 'one who is insolent or flippant': 92 2 1 3 2 Disambiguation of 'one who is insolent or flippant': 92 2 1 3 2
  2. (slang) A knowledgeable or successful sports bettor. Tags: slang
    Sense id: en-wise_guy-en-noun-fxDs6seR Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 27 30 37 4 2 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 29 30 34 5 1
  3. (US, slang) A member of the Mafia; a mobster. Tags: US, slang
    Sense id: en-wise_guy-en-noun-RY46WQY- Categories (other): American English, English entries with incorrect language header, English terms of address, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Hebrew translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Persian translations, Terms with Spanish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 27 30 37 4 2 Disambiguation of English terms of address: 22 23 39 3 13 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 29 30 34 5 1 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 27 28 37 5 4 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 25 27 42 4 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 21 17 45 10 6 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 24 23 43 8 2 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 23 23 46 5 2 Disambiguation of Terms with Hebrew translations: 22 17 40 12 9 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 22 27 45 5 2 Disambiguation of Terms with Persian translations: 22 19 40 14 6 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 21 24 48 5 1
  4. (slang) A hipster. Tags: slang Categories (topical): People
    Sense id: en-wise_guy-en-noun-Afmy8MNp Disambiguation of People: 29 0 5 35 30
  5. (slang, offensive, ethnic slur) An Italian-American man. Tags: ethnic, offensive, slang, slur Categories (topical): People
    Sense id: en-wise_guy-en-noun-LYGKdFqZ Disambiguation of People: 29 0 5 35 30 Categories (other): English ethnic slurs

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
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    {
      "form": "wise guys",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
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    }
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          "text": "Her reputation for being a wise guy made her new teachers hesitant about having her in their classes.",
          "type": "example"
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        "One who is insolent or flippant; one who makes jokes or perpetrates pranks."
      ],
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        [
          "derogatory",
          "derogatory"
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        [
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          "humorous",
          "humorous"
        ],
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          "insolent",
          "insolent"
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          "flippant",
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        "(informal, mildly derogatory, sarcastic or humorous) One who is insolent or flippant; one who makes jokes or perpetrates pranks."
      ],
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        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "word": "know-all"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "word": "know-it-all"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "word": "smart aleck"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "word": "smarty"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "word": "wisecracker"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "word": "wisenheimer"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "derogatory",
        "humorous",
        "informal",
        "mildly",
        "sarcastic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "word": "neropatti"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "word": "viisastelija"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "word": "petit rigolo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Naseweis"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Rotznase"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Schlaumeier"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Neunmalkluger"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Besserwisser"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Klugscheißer"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "word": "חכמולוג"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "insolente"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "smargiasso"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "sapientone"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "fanfarone"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "spaccone"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "word": "همه چیزدان"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "word": "عقلِ کُل"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 2 1 3 2",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
          "word": "vivo"
        }
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      "glosses": [
        "A knowledgeable or successful sports bettor."
      ],
      "id": "en-wise_guy-en-noun-fxDs6seR",
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        "(slang) A knowledgeable or successful sports bettor."
      ],
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      "glosses": [
        "A member of the Mafia; a mobster."
      ],
      "id": "en-wise_guy-en-noun-RY46WQY-",
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          "Mafia",
          "Mafia"
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        [
          "mobster",
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        ]
      ],
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        "(US, slang) A member of the Mafia; a mobster."
      ],
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      "glosses": [
        "A hipster."
      ],
      "id": "en-wise_guy-en-noun-Afmy8MNp",
      "links": [
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          "hipster",
          "hipster"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang) A hipster."
      ],
      "tags": [
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      "glosses": [
        "An Italian-American man."
      ],
      "id": "en-wise_guy-en-noun-LYGKdFqZ",
      "links": [
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      ],
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        "(slang, offensive, ethnic slur) An Italian-American man."
      ],
      "tags": [
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{
  "categories": [
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    "English entries with incorrect language header",
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    "Entries with translation boxes",
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    "Terms with Hebrew translations",
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    "Terms with Persian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "en:People"
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  "forms": [
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      "form": "wise guys",
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      "expansion": "wise guy (plural wise guys)",
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
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        "English humorous terms",
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        "English terms with usage examples"
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        {
          "text": "Her reputation for being a wise guy made her new teachers hesitant about having her in their classes.",
          "type": "example"
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      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One who is insolent or flippant; one who makes jokes or perpetrates pranks."
      ],
      "links": [
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          "derogatory"
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        [
          "sarcastic",
          "sarcastic"
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        [
          "jokes",
          "jokes"
        ],
        [
          "pranks",
          "pranks"
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      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal, mildly derogatory, sarcastic or humorous) One who is insolent or flippant; one who makes jokes or perpetrates pranks."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "derogatory",
        "humorous",
        "informal",
        "mildly",
        "sarcastic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
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      "glosses": [
        "A knowledgeable or successful sports bettor."
      ],
      "links": [
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        ]
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang) A knowledgeable or successful sports bettor."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "American English",
        "English slang"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A member of the Mafia; a mobster."
      ],
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        [
          "Mafia",
          "Mafia"
        ],
        [
          "mobster",
          "mobster"
        ]
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(US, slang) A member of the Mafia; a mobster."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "slang"
      ]
    },
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        "A hipster."
      ],
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        "(slang) A hipster."
      ],
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      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
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      "glosses": [
        "An Italian-American man."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "ethnic",
          "ethnic"
        ],
        [
          "slur",
          "slur"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang, offensive, ethnic slur) An Italian-American man."
      ],
      "tags": [
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  "sounds": [
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  "synonyms": [
    {
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "word": "know-all"
    },
    {
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "word": "know-it-all"
    },
    {
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "word": "smart aleck"
    },
    {
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "word": "smarty"
    },
    {
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "word": "wisecracker"
    },
    {
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "word": "wisenheimer"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "word": "neropatti"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "word": "viisastelija"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "word": "petit rigolo"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Naseweis"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Rotznase"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Schlaumeier"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Neunmalkluger"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Besserwisser"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Klugscheißer"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "word": "חכמולוג"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "insolente"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "smargiasso"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "sapientone"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "fanfarone"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "spaccone"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "word": "همه چیزدان"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "word": "عقلِ کُل"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "one who is insolent or flippant",
      "word": "vivo"
    }
  ],
  "word": "wise guy"
}

Download raw JSONL data for wise guy meaning in English (5.2kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-13 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-01-01 using wiktextract (4ba5975 and 4ed51a5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.