Where does “smartassery” come from?
smartassery (English) comes from English smartass, from English -ass, from English ass, from Middle English asse, from Old English assa, from Old English assen, from Latin asinus, from Latin acinus — sharp.
smartassery (English): The behaviour of a smartass
Definitions
- The behaviour of a smartass
Ancestry of “smartassery”, step by step
smartassery traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English smartass
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | smartass | One who is particularly insolent, who tends to... |
| 2 | English | -ass | Used to intensify an adjective; Used to convert... |
| 3 | English | ass | Any of several species of horse-like animals,... |
| 4 | Middle English | asse | Alternative form of axen |
| 5 | Old English | assa | ass, donkey |
| 6 | Old English | assen | she-ass |
| 7 | Latin | asinus | a donkey, an ass; an ass, an idiot, a dolt, a... |
| 8 | Latin | acinus | a berry, especially the grape; the seed of a... |
| 9 | Latin | acies | sharp edge or point; battle line; battle,... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eḱ- | sharp |
via English ery
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ery | — |