malapert

See also: Malapert

English
WOTD – 2 July 2017

Alternative forms

Etymology

mal- (“prefix meaning ‘not’ or 'badly'”) +‎ apert (“open, revealed; direct, straightforward; clever, expert”), or from Middle French malappert,[1] Old French mal apert (“ill-skilled”).

Pronunciation
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈmæləpɜːt/, /mæləˈpɜːt/
    • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈmæləpɝt/, /mæləˈpɝt/
  • Hyphenation: mal‧a‧pert

Noun

malapert (plural malaperts)

  1. (archaic) A cheeky, impudent, or saucy person. [from 15th c.]

Synonyms

Adjective

malapert (comparative more malapert, superlative most malapert)

  1. (archaic) Cheeky, impudent, saucy. [from 15th c.]
    • a. 1530 (date written), John Skelton, “Poems against Garnesche. Skelton Laureate Defendar ageinst Lusty Garnyshe Well Beseen Crystofer Chalangar, et cetera.”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, […], published 1843, →OCLC, page 130, lines 145–147:
      The follest slouen ondyr heuen, / Prowde, peuiche, lyddyr, and lewde, / Malapert, medyllar, nothyng well thewde, […]
      The foullest sloven under heaven, / Proud, peevish, lither, and lewd, / Malapert, meddler, nothing well thewed, […]
    • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, “A Defence of Seneca and Plutarke”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, page 414:
      Nevertheleſſe I finde him [Iohn Bodine] ſomewhat malapert and bolde in that paſſage of his Methode of Hiſtorie, when he accuseth Plutarke, not onely of ignorance […] but alſo that he often writeth, things altogether incredible and meerely fabulous (theſe are his very words).
    • 1663 April 27 (Gregorian calendar), John Bunyan, “Touching Parents”, in Christian Behaviour; or The Fruits of True Christianity. […], London: […] F. Smith, […], →OCLC, page 56:
      […] Take heed of filling their [i.e., children's] heads with VVhimzies, and unprofitable Notions; for this vvill ſooner learn them to be malepert and proud, than ſober and humble.
    • [1841?], James Fergusson, “chapter VI”, in A Brief Exposition of the Epistles of Paul to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, London: Thomas Ward and Co., Paternoster-Row, →OCLC, page 257, column 1:
      A proud heart, evidencing itself in a saucy, malapert, aweless, and careless carriage, is most unbeseeming the condition of servants, and highly displeasing to God in them, as being opposite to that property of fear and trembling which ought to accompany their obedience: "Be obedient with fear and trembling."

Synonyms

Derived terms

References
  1. “malapert, n., adj., and adv.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, June 2000.

Anagrams
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