whippersnapper
2 synonyms for whippersnapper, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A cocky young person who acts with more confidence than their experience deserves.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
An extension of *whip-snapper (“a cracker of whips”), or perhaps derived from snipper-snapper. Compare also whipperginnie (“term of abuse for a woman”), late 16th century.
Full origin of whippersnapper →