witty

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English

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Etymology

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From Middle English witty, witti, from Old English wittiġ, witiġ, ġewittiġ (clever, wise), from Proto-West Germanic *witīg, *witag, from Proto-Germanic *witagaz, *wītagaz (knowing, wise, clever), equivalent to wit +‎ -y. Cognate with Middle Low German wittich, gewittich (knowing, clever, wise, understanding), German witzig (funny, witty), Norwegian Bokmål vettig, Norwegian Nynorsk vittig (witty).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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witty (comparative wittier, superlative wittiest)

  1. (obsolete) Wise, having good judgement.
  2. (archaic) Possessing a strong intellect or intellectual capacity; intelligent, skilful, ingenious.
  3. Clever; amusingly ingenious.
    His speech was both witty and informative.
  4. Full of wit.
    His frequent quips mark him as particularly witty.
  5. Quick of mind; insightful; in possession of wits.
    She may have grown older, but she has grown no less witty.

Synonyms

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Translations

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See also

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