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Definition of wiseguy

wiseguy

/ˈwaɪz.ɡaɪ/
wise · guy
Plural:wiseguys
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wiseguy Lexical Profile

wiseguy Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A person who speaks or behaves in an annoyingly arrogant, sarcastic, or Know-It-All manner.

Example

"The teacher asked the wiseguy in the back row to stop interrupting the lecture with sarcastic remarks."

2

American A member of an organized crime syndicate, especially the Mafia.

Example

"The crime drama chronicles the rise and fall of a low-level wiseguy working in the city's underworld."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for wiseguy

• Nearby Words

wiseass
wisecrack
wisecracker
wiseguy
wisely
wiseman
wisent

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in late 19th-century American slang as an ironic compound of 'wise' and 'guy', originally mocking someone who acts overly clever before later being adopted in the mid-20th century to refer to a Mafia member.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Wiseguy. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/wiseguy
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