People who make jokes and cause mischief, especially by clowning around or acting silly to get attention or make others laugh.
From 'cut up' (to cut into pieces or to behave badly) + '-up' (suffix creating a noun for a person). This colloquial term emerged in American English in the early 20th century.
Classroom cutups often become the most creative adults—psychologists note that the impulse to disrupt and entertain (controlled mischief) correlates with divergent thinking and improvisation skills valued in many careers.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.