Wisenheimer

Origin

wise + German surname suffix -enheimer

Full definition of wisenheimer

Noun

1. (chiefly US, informal) A self-assertive and arrogant person; a know-it-all or smart aleck.
• 2010, J. Bolton-Fasman, "Debating Salvation: A smart aleck finds his niche" The Jerusalem Post 11/11/2010 On-line, accessed November 13, 2010 (quotations are from Wisenheimer: A Childhood Subject to Debate by Mark Oppenheimer (Hardcover - Apr 13, 2010)):"It wasn’t until I read Mark Oppenheimer’s charming memoir that I had an apt description of my son: “…a smart aleck is a smart guy gone bad, a boy whose smartness is being used stupidly, while a wisenheimer actually lacks wisdom. He might not be cruel, he might not mean harm, but a wisenheimer is a smart guy you wish had a little less smarts.”My kid is a bona-fide wisenheimer.And to complete the picture, Oppenheimer notes that “In my mind wisenheimer is Jewish, probably has glasses, and after insulting you runs out of the room before you can throw a punch.” To be even clearer – a smart kid is not necessarily a wisenheimer. But a wisenheimer is always a smart kid. Oh, and this particular personality type is a boy."

Synonyms

• wise guy
• smart aleck