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Origin and history of sharpie

sharpie(n.)

1860, "a type of long, flat-bottomed sailboat, American English, from sharp (adj.) + -ie. Meaning "slicker, clever person" is by 1942 (see sharper). Sharpie as a brand name for a type of art marker was patented 1966, claiming first use from 1964. They were originally advertised for their fine, sharp tips.

also from 1860

Entries linking to sharpie

sharp(adj.)

Old English scearp "having a cutting edge; pointed; intellectually acute, active, shrewd; keen (of senses); severe; biting, bitter (of tastes)," from Proto-Germanic *skarpaz, literally "cutting" (source also of Old Saxon scarp, Old Norse skarpr, Old Frisian skerp, Dutch scherp, German scharf "sharp"), from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut" (source also of Lettish skarbs "sharp," Middle Irish cerb "cutting").

The figurative meaning "acute or penetrating in intellect or perception" was in Old English; hence "keenly alive to one's own interests, quick to take advantage" (1690s). Of words or talk, "cutting, sarcastic," from early 13c. Meaning "distinct in contour" is from 1670s. The musical meaning "half step above (a given tone)" is from 1570s. Meaning "stylish" is from 1944, hepster slang, from earlier general slang sense of "excellent" (1940). Phrase sharp as a tack first recorded 1912 (sharp as a needle has been around since Old English). Sharp-shinned attested from 1704 of persons, 1813 of hawks.

sharper(n.)

1560s, "one who sharpens or makes sharp," agent noun from obsolete verb sharp "to make sharp" (see sharp (adj.)). The meaning "swindler, one shrewd in making bargains" is from 1680s, probably a variant of sharker (see shark (n.)). The shortened form sharpie in this sense is by 1942 (also sharpster), at that time also probably involving the "sharply dressed" sense of the adjective.

-ie

alternative spelling of -y; now mostly of -y (3), but formerly of the others as well.

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    trademark
    also trade-mark, 1838 (the thing itself is attested continuously from 14c., apparently the originals were watermarks on paper), from trade (n.) + mark (n.1) in a specialized sense of "stamp, seal, brand, etc. placed upon an article top indicate ownership or origin" (mid-13c.). Fi
    swindler
    "one who cheats others, one who practices fraud or imposition," 1774, from German Schwindler "giddy person, extravagant speculator, cheat," from schwindeln "to be giddy, act extravagantly, swindle," from Old High German swintilon "be giddy," frequentative form of swintan "to lang
    Croat
    "native or inhabitant of Croatia," 1702, from Serbo-Croatian Hrvat "a Croat," from Old Church Slavonic Churvatinu "Croat," literally "mountaineer, highlander," from churva "mountain" (compare Russian khrebet "mountain chain"). Croatian is attested from 1550s as a noun, "a Croat;"
    actor
    late 14c., "an overseer, guardian, steward," from Latin actor "an agent or doer; a driver (of sheep, etc.)," in law, "accuser, plaintiff," also "theatrical player, orator," from past-participle stem of agere "to set in motion, drive, drive forward," hence "to do, perform," also "
    gopher
    burrowing squirrel, 1812, American English, perhaps an Englishing of Louisiana French gaufre "honeycomb, waffle," said to have been used by French settlers in reference to small mammals on analogy of the structure of their burrows, from Old French gaufre, walfre (12c.), which is
    pen
    late 13c., penne, "writing implement made from the hard, hollow stem at the base of a feather," from Old French pene "quill pen; feather" (12c.) and directly from Latin penna "a feather, plume," in plural "a wing," in Late Latin, "a pen for writing," from Old Latin petna, pesna,
    card
    early 15c., "a playing card," from Old French carte (14c.), from Medieval Latin carta/charta "a card, paper; a writing, a charter," from Latin charta "leaf of paper, a writing, tablet," from Greek khartēs "layer of papyrus," which is probably from Egyptian. The form has been infl
    shark
    "large, voracious fish," by 1560s, perhaps mid-15c., if an isolated instance in a diary quoted in Middle English Compendium is the same word, of uncertain origin. The meaning "dishonest person who preys on others," though attested from 1599 (sharker "artful swindler" in this sens

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