Word of the Day

: May 18, 2007

jackanapes

noun JAK-uh-nayps

What It Means

1 : monkey, ape

2 a : an impudent or conceited fellow

b : a saucy or mischievous child

jackanapes in Context

Mr. Hughes had his neighbor's son pegged as a disrespectful jackanapes and was therefore reluctant to hire him to shovel the driveway.

Did You Know?

William de la Pole, the Duke of Suffolk, was a well-regarded soldier and commander during the Hundred Years' War. It was during his dukedom (1448-1450), however, that England lost its possessions in northern France, and his popularity consequently suffered. The coat of arms for de la Pole's family sported an image of a collar and chain that, at the time, was commonly used for leashing pet monkeys, then known as "jackanapes" (a word whose precise origin is uncertain). By association, people gave the Duke the nickname "Jack Napis," and soon "jackanapes" took on a life of its own as a word for an impudent person and, later, a misbehaving child.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.