A person who acts smart or clever in an annoying way, often by making jokes or smart remarks; sometimes refers to a member of organized crime.
A compound of 'wise' and 'guy,' emerging in American English in the early 20th century. Originally meant someone acting too clever or making wisecracks, but gained association with mobsters in 1980s-90s media.
The word perfectly captures how the same behavior—acting smarter than others—can be either annoying (your classmate making jokes during lessons) or dangerous (organized crime figures), depending on context and consequences.
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