Sassy
/ˈsæs.i/noun
Lively, bold, and sometimes disrespectfully cheeky.
Did you know?Sassy is an American shortening or alteration of “saucy,” whose deeper ancestor, Latin salsus (“salted”), also produced words connected with sauce and salad.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*séh₂ls
“Salt”
Classical Latin
Latin
sāl / salsus
“Salt / salted; figuratively witty or sharp in expression”
Medieval Latin
Latin
salsa
“A salted or seasoned sauce”
14th Century
Old French
sauce
“A seasoned liquid served with food”
15th Century
English
saucy
“Like sauce; later, lively, bold, or impudent”
18th Century
American English
sass
“Impertinence or backtalk, shortened or altered from “saucy””
19th Century
American English
sassy
“Cheeky, bold, or spirited”