witty

witty

See also: Witty

English

Etymology

From Middle English witty, witti, from Old English wittiġ (“clever, wise”), equivalent to wit +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈwɪti/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈwɪti/, [ˈwɪɾi]
• Rhymes: -ɪti

Adjective

witty (comparative wittier, superlative wittiest)

1. (obsolete) Wise, having good judgement.
   • 1485 July 31, Thomas Malory, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [Le Morte Darthur], (please specify the book number), [London]: […] [by William Caxton], OCLC 71490786; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: Published by David Nutt, […], 1889, OCLC 890162034:

     , Bk.VIII, Ch.viij:

     Then cam there a lady that was a wytty lady, and she seyde playnly unto the Kyng […] that he sholde never be hole but yf that Sir Trystrames wente into the same contrey than the venym came fro, and in that contrey sholde he be holpyn, other ellys never.

2. (archaic) Possessing a strong intellect or intellectual capacity; intelligent, skilful, ingenious.
   • 1603, John Florio, transl.; Michel de Montaigne, chapter 7, in The Essayes, […], book II, printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821:

     It hath beene a witty invention […] to establish and ordaine certaine vaine and worthles markes, therewith to honor and recompence vertue […].

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

• facetious
• humorous
• jocose
• jocular
• quick
• lively
• See also Thesaurus:witty

Translations

possessing a strong intellect or intellectual capacity

Dutch: wijs (nl) Finnish: terävä (fi) German: witzig (de) Italian: arguto (it), faceto (it)

Portuguese: sábio (pt) m Russian: у́мный (ru) (úmnyj), смышлёный (ru) (smyšljónyj), сообрази́тельный (ru) (soobrazítelʹnyj), разу́мный (ru) (razúmnyj) Spanish: please add this translation if you can

clever; amusingly ingenious

Czech: vtipný (cs) m Dutch: geestig (nl) Finnish: naseva (fi), sukkelasanainen French: fin (fr) German: geistreich (de), witzig (de) Greek: Ancient: ἀστεῖος (asteîos), εὐτράπελος (eutrápelos) Hungarian: szellemes (hu) Indonesian: jenaka (id)

Irish: tráthúil Italian: ingegnoso (it), fine (it), convincente (it), malizioso (it), faceto (it) m Latin: facētus, salsus Maori: tātākī Polish: dowcipny (pl) m Portuguese: engenhoso (pt) Russian: остроу́мный (ru) (ostroúmnyj) Scottish Gaelic: sgaiteach Spanish: please add this translation if you can

full of wit

Danish: åndrig Finnish: välkky (fi) German: geistreich (de) Greek: Ancient: ἀστεῖος (asteîos), εὐτράπελος (eutrápelos) Hungarian: szellemes (hu) Irish: tráthúil Italian: spiritoso (it)

Maori: tātākī Norwegian: vittig, åndrik Russian: остроу́мный (ru) (ostroúmnyj) Scottish Gaelic: sgaiteach Spanish: mordaz (es)

quick of mind; insightful; in possession of wits

Finnish: välkky (fi) German: geistreich (de), schlagfertig (de) Italian: arguzia (it) f

Portuguese: arguto (pt) Russian: смышлёный (ru) (smyšljónyj), сообрази́тельный (ru) (soobrazítelʹnyj)