whippersnapper

[ hwip-er-snap-er, wip- ]

noun

1. an unimportant but offensively presumptuous person, especially a young one.

whippersnapper

/ ˈwɪpəˌsnæpə /

noun

1. an insignificant but pretentious or cheeky person, often a young one Also calledwhipster

Word History and Origins

Origin of whippersnapper¹

1665–75; probably blend of earlier whipster and snippersnapper, similar in sense; whip, snap, -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of whippersnapper¹

C17: probably from whipsnapper a person who snaps whips, influenced by earlier snippersnapper, of obscure origin

Example Sentences

News flash: We senior citizens have something you young whippersnappers don’t: the wisdom and judgment that comes from experience.

From Salon

The whippersnapper was about 5 to 7 years old, some 4 meters long, and weighed about 350 kilograms—as much as a large domestic pig, and about 1/10 the heft of its parent.

From Science Magazine

Biden aides and allies argue that such critics miss the point - that Biden never set out merely keep the seat warm for the whippersnappers to follow, nor does he believe he’s finished the job.

From Washington Times

Biden aides and allies argue that such critics miss the point — that Biden never set out merely keep the seat warm for the whippersnappers to follow, nor does he believe he’s finished the job.

From Seattle Times

I’m pretty sure I learned about it when someone mentioned it in the context of features that have been around so long that young whippersnappers like me have never even heard of them.

From The Verge

Related Words

• baby
• boy
• daughter
• girl
• juvenile
• kid
• minor
• offspring
• son
• youngster
• youth