English

Adjective

pert ‎(comparative perter, superlative pertest)

1. Attractive (of a person); well-formed, shapely (of a part of the body). [from 14th c.]
2. Lively; alert and cheerful; bright. [from 16th c.]
   • 1594, William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act 1, Scene 1:

     "Go Philostrate, Stirre vp the Athenian youth to merriments, Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth"

   • 2001, Donald Spoto, Marilyn Monroe: The Biography, chapter 1, 11:

     He was instantly attracted to Gladys's pert, fey humor and her good nature.

3. (now rare) Cheeky, impertinent (especially of children or social inferiors). [from 15th c.]
   • 2009, Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall, Fourth Estate 2010, p. 333:

     "You'll not be so pert when the Cornish seize you. They spit children like you and roast them on bonfires."

4. (obsolete) Open; evident; unhidden; apert. [14th-17th c.]

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Piers Plowman to this entry?)

Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:cheeky

Derived terms

• pertly
• pertness

Translations

Verb

pert ‎(third-person singular simple present perts, present participle perting, simple past and past participle perted)

1. (intransitive, obsolete) To behave with pertness.

Anagrams

• terp

Hungarian

Etymology

per +‎ -t

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈpɛrt]
• Hyphenation: pert

Noun

pert

1. accusative singular of per

   pert indít‎ ― to sue

Ladin

Alternative forms

• part

Etymology

From Latin pars, partem.

Noun

pert f ‎(plural pertes)

1. part

Related terms

• partir

Welsh

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɛrt/

Adjective

pert ‎(feminine singular pert, plural pert)

1. pretty, attractive
2. quaint

Mutation