adj. pert·er, pert·est 1. a. High-spirited, lively, or cheerful: A pert receptionist greets each client. b. Impudently bold; saucy: He was pert to his teacher. She gave a pert answer. 2. a. Attractive or stylish in appearance: a pert hat. b. Small or firm and well-formed: a pert nose. [Middle English, unconcealed, bold, short for apert, obvious, frank (probably influenced by Old French aspert, espert, clever), from Old French, from Latin apertus, open, past participle of aperīre, to open; see wer-4 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] pertly adv. pertness n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
American pharmacologist noted for her discovery, with Solomon Snyder, of the brain's opioid receptors, and for her later work on the mind-body connection. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.