World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English Dictionariesje-sais-tout
Pronunciation / Transliteration: zhuh-say-too
"Arrête d'faire le je-sais-tout et écoute-moi."
Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
An obnoxious or arrogant person who behaves as if they know everything or makes smart remarks.
"Don't be a wise-guy with me when I am asking you a serious question." - 2
A member of a criminal organization, especially the Mafia.
"The federal agents tracked the movements of several suspected wise-guys across the city."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
The term originated in late 19th-century American English as an ironic combination of 'wise' and 'guy', initially denoting someone who thought they knew everything. By the mid-20th century, especially within American urban and organized crime slang, it evolved to refer specifically to a member of a criminal syndicate or mafia organization.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Wise-guy"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Wise-guy" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
je-sais-tout
Transliteration: zhuh-say-too
"Arrête d'faire le je-sais-tout et écoute-moi."
Besserwisser
Transliteration: BES-ser-vis-ser
"Sei kein Besserwisser und lass mich ausreden."
saputello
Transliteration: sa-pu-TEL-lo
"Non fare il saputello con me."
sabelotodo
Transliteration: sa-be-lo-TO-do
"No seas un sabelotodo todo el tiempo."
sabe-tudo
Transliteration: SA-be-TOO-doo
"Ele age como um sabe-tudo na sala de aula."
तेज़तर्रार व्यक्ति
Transliteration: tez-tarrar vyakti
"हर बात पर ज़्यादा समझदारी मत दिखाओ।"
万事通
Transliteration: wàn shì tōng
"别在我面前装什么万事通。"
잘난척하는 사람
Transliteration: jal-nan-cheok-ha-neun sa-ram
"그는 늘 잘난척하는 사람처럼 군다."
知ったかぶり
Transliteration: shittakaburi
"そんな知ったかぶりな態度をとるな。"
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