whippersnapper
Impertinent young person
A whippersnapper is a young person considered presumptuous or overconfident, especially one who shows insufficient respect for elders or established authority.
The word is old-fashioned and often used humorously: Some whippersnapper tried to tell me how to do my job.
It typically comes from older speakers expressing mild irritation at youthful boldness.
Person of tender years
- juvenileYoung person or animal
- kidChild or young goat
- childPerson before puberty
- teenagerPerson aged thirteen-nineteen
adolescent · minor · stripling · young'un · tween · tyke · tot · youngling
Affectionate term for youth
- sportCompetitive physical activity
- squirtForced liquid jet
- pupYoung canine or seal
- spriteTiny magical creature
imp · scamp · rascal · moppet · tyke · little one · young'un · sprig
Playfully disrespectful
- sassyBoldly irreverent in manner
- impudentDisrespectfully bold
- brashOffensively self-assertive
- audaciousRecklessly or disrespectfully fearless
insolent · cocky · bold · saucy · disrespectful · irreverent · fresh · pert
Inexperienced, gullible newcomer
- noviceInexperienced newcomer to field
- rookieInexperienced newcomer
- beginnerOne who lacks experience
- neophyteInexperienced beginner
fledgling · apprentice · tyro · tenderfoot · newbie · newcomer · upstart · pup
Graceless new-money type
- arrivisteAmbitious social newcomer
- usurperIllegal power seizer
- climberOne who scales
- pretenderIllegitimate claimant to power
social climber · nouveau riche · interloper · new kid · challenger · overreacher
youngster
Person of tender years
teenager · adolescent · minor · stripling · young'un · tween · tyke · tot · youngling · nipper
kiddo
Affectionate term for youth
sprite · imp · scamp · rascal · moppet · tyke · little one · young'un · sprig · sprout
cheeky
Playfully disrespectful
audacious · insolent · cocky · bold · saucy · disrespectful · irreverent · fresh · pert · flippant
greenhorn
Inexperienced, gullible newcomer
neophyte · fledgling · apprentice · tyro · tenderfoot · newbie · newcomer · upstart · pup · cub
parvenu
Graceless new-money type
pretender · social climber · nouveau riche · interloper · new kid · challenger · overreacher
- childrenkids, toddler, baby, infant, youngster
- youthchild, adolescents, kid, coming-of-age, teenagers
- age slanggeezer, codger, coot, old fart, old timer
- American slangbamboozle, bogus, bunkum, conniption, discombobulate
- youth sayingsfountain of youth, salad days, spring chicken, tender age, young at heart
- small frysmall fry, small-fry, pipsqueak, little guy, nobody