pertness

8.2

A lively, confident way of speaking or behaving that is slightly cheeky

noun
/ˈpɜrtnəs/

Informal

: descaro

His confident pertness was evident when he answered all the questions without hesitation.

Examples

Pert would be the one word that would describe her as she appeared in those first pages of the album, for it was a time of pertness, an ideal established by such actresses as Veronica Lake and June Allyson.

Fiction book (1990)
The child's pertness shone through in her cheeky responses to the teacher.
From the color of his face, the pertness of his nose, Joe Junior suspected he was Irish.

Fiction book (1993)
Her lively pertness made everyone in the room smile and feel at ease.

Synonyms

impertinence

vspertness

7 8.1

Rude behavior or remarks that show a lack of respect

keeps a lively confident tone rather than blunt rudeness

perkiness

vspertness

1 6.0

Lively and cheerful in a bright, energetic way that can seem a little too playful

has more confident cheekiness rather than simple cheerfulness

sassiness

vspertness

Informal

1 5.2

Bold, lively words or actions that can seem rude

is more about confident liveliness rather than open rudeness

sauciness

vspertness

Informal

1 7.0

Bold playful behaviour that is a little rude

is more about confident cheek rather than playful disrespect

archness

vspertness

9.1

Playful, slightly cheeky teasing that makes people smile

leans toward open confident cheek rather than sly teasing

Antonyms

timidity

7 5.8

Feeling too shy or afraid to try new things

meekness

3 5.1

A quiet, gentle way of behaving that avoids arguing or complaining

How Cheeky

insolence

19 7.2

impertinence

7 8.1

pertness

Informal

8.2

cheekiness

Informal

1 5.8

mischief

34 2.7

Surface Forms

pertness singular

pertnesses plural

Morphology

pertness = pert (transparent) = pert + ness

Standard noun formation from the adjective 'pert' with '-ness' yields the state or quality of being pert, a straightforward derivation.

Etymology

Pertness comes from the small adjective pert, an old word for someone 'lively' and a bit bold. That pert goes back to a Latin idea of being 'experienced', which you can also see in expert, so pertness means confident, slightly cheeky behavior.