- Today's Word
Whippersnapper
[WHIP-er-snap-er]
Definition
- (noun) A young and inexperienced person who is presumptuous or overconfident. It’s often used by older people to describe younger individuals who they perceive as cheeky, impertinent, or lacking respect for their elders.
Example
The grumpy old man shouted at the whippersnapper to get off his lawn, muttering about how kids these days have no respect for other people’s property.
Fun Fact
The term “whippersnapper” originated in the 17th century. It’s believed to be a variation of the phrase “whip snapper,” which referred to a young person who had nothing better to do than hang around snapping whips to pass the time. Over time, it evolved to describe any young person seen as idle or impertinent.
(noun) A form of irony in which a person pretends to refuse or show disinterest in something they actually desire
His accismus was obvious to everyone at the table — he waved off the dessert menu three times before finally ordering the chocolate cake.
Accismus comes directly from the Greek akkismos, meaning “prudery” or “affectation,” derived from Akkō, the name of a foolish woman in Greek legend known for her coy, affected behavior. It entered English as a formal rhetorical term, classified among the figures of speech used in classical oratory and persuasion.