smart aleck

Meaning

Noun

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

Origin

• 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 con man and thief.