saucy

English

WOTD – 30 October 2008

Etymology

From sauce +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsɔː.sɪ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsɑ.si/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔːsi

Adjective

saucy ‎(comparative saucier, superlative sauciest)

1. Similar to sauce; having the consistency or texture of sauce.
2. Impertinent or disrespectful, often in a way that is regarded as entertaining or amusing; smart.
   • ~1603, William Shakespeare, Othello, the Moor of Venice , Act I, scene I, line 143:

     If this be known to you, and your allowance/ When we have done you bold and saucy wrongs.

   She is a loud, saucy child who doesn't show a lot of respect to her elders.

3. Impudently bold; pert; piquant.
4. Mildly erotic.

   I enjoyed the dancing, but my wife found it a little too saucy.

Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:cheeky

Derived terms

• saucily
• sauciness

Translations

similar to sauce

• Finnish: vetelä, kastikemainen

impertinent or disrespectful

• Czech: oprsklý
• Finnish: topakka (fi), tomera (fi)
• French: effronté (fr), impertinent (fr)
• Irish: brusanta

• Norwegian: frekk
• Russian: де́рзкий (ru) ‎(dérzkij), на́глый (ru) ‎(náglyj), наха́льный (ru) ‎(naxálʹnyj)

impudently bold

• Czech: oprsklý
• Finnish: räväkkä
• Maori: nēnene

• Norwegian: frekk
• Russian: де́рзкий (ru) ‎(dérzkij)
• Swedish: fräck (sv)

mildly erotic

• Czech: šťavnatý
• Finnish: sähäkkä
• Norwegian: dristig

• Russian: непристо́йный (ru) ‎(nepristójnyj), неприли́чный (ru) ‎(neprilíčnyj)

See also

• sassy