inwit

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English

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Etymology

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From Middle English inwit (mind, reason, intellect, understanding; soul, spirit; feeling; the collection of inner faculties; one of five inner faculties; one of the outer bodily senses.; inward awareness of right or wrong, conscience), from Old English *inwitt, inġewitnes (consciousness, conscience, knowledge, knowing), equivalent to in- +‎ wit. Compare Scots inwit, Saterland Frisian Gewieten, West Frisian gewisse, Dutch geweten, German Low German Geweten, German Gewissen.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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inwit (uncountable)

  1. (archaic) Inward knowledge or understanding.
    • 1990, Midori Snyder, Sadar's Keep, New York: Tom Doherty Associates:
      "Will it make you happy?" / "Probably not," Kai said irritably. "Inwit tells me that you're trouble from the beginning."
  2. (obsolete) Conscience; inward sense of morality.
    • 1920, James Joyce, Ulysses:
      Speaking to me. They wash and tub and scrub. Agenbite of inwit. Conscience.
    • 1960, Marcia Davenport, Constant Image:
      "I knew that was so. Every time that inwit twanged ─ I have conscience like you, reverend sir!"

Derived terms

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Middle English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Old English *inwitt; equivalent to in- +‎ witt.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈinwit/, /ənˈwit/

Noun

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inwit (uncountable)

  1. reasoning, mental acuity, brainpower.
  2. attitude, impression, essence
  3. A mental process or power
  4. morality, moral code; judgement
  5. (rare) plan, intent, purpose.

Descendants

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  • English: inwit (archaic)

References

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Old High German

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Etymology

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From Proto-Germanic *inwidją (malice, wickedness). Cognate with Old Saxon inwid (fraud), Old English inwid, Old Norse ívið (deceit, evil) (attested in compound íviðgjarn). Further root-related to Old Norse íviðja (malicious female being(?)). (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.).

Noun

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inwit n

  1. deceit, cunning, craftiness