wiseacre

The story

1. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*wītagō“wise one; prophet”
2. Old High German · derived fromwīzzago
3. Middle Dutch · borrowed fromwijssegger“soothsayer”
4. English todaywiseacre

From Middle Dutch wijssegger (“soothsayer”), from Old High German wīzzago, wīzago (“wise man, prophet, soothsayer”), from Proto-West Germanic *wītagō (“wise one; prophet”). Cognate with Old English wītga (“wise man, prophet”). See also German Weissager (“soothsayer, seer”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from before 1600 A learned or wise man.