Jackanapes
/ˈdʒæk.ə.neɪps/noun
A rude or conceited person, especially a cheeky young man.
Did you know?Jackanapes began as a nickname for a monkey or ape in the 16th century, later becoming a sneering term for an impudent person, with the name itself likely built from the personal name Jack plus an old word for ape.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
English
jackanapes
“a monkey, ape, or impudent person”
Early Modern English
English
Jack an ape(s)
“a nickname-like phrase for a monkey or ape”
Middle English
English
Jack
“a familiar male name used for an ordinary man or fellow”
Middle English
English
apes
“apes; monkeys”
Old English
English
apa
“ape”
Old English
English
Jacop / Iacob
“Jacob, a biblical personal name that later fed many forms of Jack”