sassy
adjective

- rude and lacking respect

- fashionable, attractive, confident

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

Sassy is an alteration of "saucy", which in addition to describing something as resembling a sauce, is also used to describe cheeky behaviour or demeanour. The word sauce has its roots in Old French (sause, sauce, saluse) and the Vulgar Latin salsa, which stems from the adjective salsus, -a, um (salty, spicy, hot), which in turn is derived from the noun sal, -is (salt).

The word sassy normally conjures up the image of a cheeky child who, having little respect for adults (especially its parents), stands around with its hands on its hips, lips pouted in a sneer of contempt, shamelessly saying anything it feels like while daring anyone to challenge it.

On the other end of the spectrum, sassy can also describe grownups (more often than not women) who exhibit stylish confidence and a touch of arrogance in the way they dress, talk and act.

The American TV series SUITS abounds with sassy characters.

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SYNONYMS

audacious, bold, brassy, brazen, cheeky, discourteous, disrespectful, flip, flippant, fresh, impudent, insolent, mouthy, overbold, rude, saucy, smart-alecky, smart-mouthed

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Practice OWAD in a conversation:

"Pauline's SASSY attitude during the meeting was not appreciated by the other members."