# smart aleck

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. One who is given to obnoxious or insolent humor.
2. One who is pretentious about their own cleverness or knowledge.
3. One who is obnoxiously self-assured; a show off.
4. A well-dressed person.

## Etymology
Aleck is a nickname for the male given name Alexander. The phrase smart aleck is possibly derived from the name of Aleck Hoag, a 19th-century American con man and thief.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/smart-aleck