witty

adjective

wit·​ty ˈwi-tē How to pronounce witty (audio)
wittier; wittiest
1
: marked by or full of clever humor or wit : smartly facetious or jocular
a witty novel
2
: quick or ready to see or express illuminating or amusing relationships or insights
a witty raconteur
3
: amusingly or ingeniously clever in conception or execution
the costumes are sumptuous and wittyVirgil Thomson
the musical background is … often wittyWolcott Gibbs
4
archaic : having good intellectual capacity : intelligent
wittily adverb
wittiness noun

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Witty and Wise

When we call someone witty, we are typically ascribing to them the quality of clever humor. This has not always been the case: witty (and the word it is formed from, wit) originally referred to intelligence or good judgment. Although the “mentally capable” meaning of witty has largely become obsolete, we still see vestiges of it in various expressions involving wit, such as wit and wisdom or out of one’s wits. Another phrase, to wit, meaning “that is, namely,” comes directly from the Middle English to witen (“to know”).

Choose the Right Synonym for witty

witty, humorous, facetious, jocular, jocose mean provoking or intended to provoke laughter.

witty suggests cleverness and quickness of mind.

a witty remark

humorous applies broadly to anything that evokes usually genial laughter and may contrast with witty in suggesting whimsicality or eccentricity.

humorous anecdotes

facetious stresses a desire to produce laughter and may be derogatory in implying dubious or ill-timed attempts at wit or humor.

facetious comments

jocular implies a usually habitual fondness for jesting and joking.

a jocular fellow

jocose is somewhat less derogatory than facetious in suggesting habitual waggishness or playfulness.

jocose proposals

Examples of witty in a Sentence

We'd kept everything witty and cool, until the air between us was so ironized that to say anything in earnest would have been a breach of manners, even of trust. Tobias Wolff, Old School, 2003
… when she walked up to me and made a caustic remark on the principal's address of the morning, I couldn't help laughing, as she was obviously not only intelligent but very witty. Margaret A. Edwards, The Fair Garden and the Swarm of Beasts, 1994
Yet for all his solemnity, Hamlet was also the play's and Shakespeare's wittiest wit, with as many one-liners as any comic in the whole canon. Reed Whittemore, Pure Lives, 1988
a witty talk show host a witty and sardonic blogger who never fails to amuse his legion of readers
Recent Examples on the Web In that, Loder is witty, mischievous and somehow appealingly misanthropic, qualities that Dinklage commands with ease through his signature piercing gaze and intensely baritone voice. Tomris Laffly, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 Written in her witty and conversational style, the book chronicles her early upbringing in New York City to her rise through Manhattan’s social circles and eventual ascent into the upper echelons of fashion. Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Mar. 2024 From California to Florida, the answers ranged from witty and off-beat to vain and endearing. USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2024 In addition to being witty, Noah — who left The Daily Show in late 2022 — has showcased a deep appreciation and knowledge of music history in his previous hosting stints. Dustin Nelson, EW.com, 2 Feb. 2024 The role of confidant and witty bon vivant to New York's most glittering society jewels was a position Capote held dear. Cady Lang, TIME, 2 Feb. 2024 An opening sequence set — though not obviously established — in Abidjan has both witty promise and stray hints of the off-form filmmaking to come. Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024 The franchise remains alive, but the best books came out between 1957 and 1977, when Goscinny wrote the stories, peppering them with his witty dialogue. Ernesto Lechner, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2024 Then there’s her public persona: the acerbic, witty, deadpan, Ellen-ruining, lime-lying Dakota that has, in her own way, become America’s sweetheart. Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'witty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see wit entry 2

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler
The first known use of witty was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near witty

Cite this Entry

“Witty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/witty. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

witty

adjective
wit·​ty ˈwit-ē How to pronounce witty (audio)
wittier; wittiest
: marked by or full of wit : amusing
a witty writer
a witty remark
wittily adverb
wittiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on witty

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