malapert

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

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmæləpəːt/, /mæləˈpəːt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈmæləpɚt/, /mæləˈpɚt/
• Hyphenation: mal‧a‧pert

malapert (plural malaperts)

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

• See Thesaurus:malapert

malapert (comparative more malapert, superlative most malapert)

1. (archaic) Cheeky, impudent, saucy. [from 15th c.]
   • 1603, John Florio, transl.; Michel de Montaigne, “A Defence of Seneca and Plutarke”, in The Essayes, […], book II, printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821, 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).

   • [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 15601747, 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."

• See Thesaurus:cheeky

• Malapert (proper noun)
• malapertly
• malapertness

• rap metal