where the term "whippersnapper" came from? We all know what it means, but where..? Only kind remarks, please...
2007-12-14 22:30:34 · 4 answers · asked by Judith H 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Senior Citizens
I thought it was a sarcastic term for a younger person, not meant to be insulting, just sarcastic.. like "you young whippersnapper". I certainly wouldn't want to offend anyone...
2007-12-14 22:53:25 · update #1
[Origin: 1665–75; prob. b. earlier whipster and snippersnapper, similar in sense
And yes, it is a term for a young person who is presumptious, sassy and disrespectful with little common sense or knowledge.
2007-12-15 06:45:25 · answer #1 · answered by sage seeker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps representing whipsnapper, expressing noise and unimportance. I came up with the date 1665-75, so I guess this has been around for awhile.
2007-12-15 06:52:22 · answer #2 · answered by judy b 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
from wordreference.com , I got this -
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whippersnapper:
1674, ORIGIN perhaps representing whipsnapper, expressing noise and unimportance; apparently a "jingling extension" [OED] of *whip-snapper "a cracker of whips," or perhaps an alteration of snipper-snapper (c.1590). Cf. also late 16c. whipperginnie, a term of abuse for a woman. —
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I'll have to remember "whipperginnie" next time another woman really annoys me !
2007-12-15 06:47:20 · answer #3 · answered by Stella 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
uhm..no idea...
2007-12-15 06:38:46 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋