: that is to say : namely

Examples of to wit in a Sentence

if we keep spending money like it's water, we're sure to end up in the same place as it often does, to wit, down the drain
Recent Examples on the Web However, three election cycles is just a blink of an eye in the grand scheme of American history, so this could just be a blip borne of this specific political moment (to wit: three of the five uber-unpopular nominees were/are Trump). Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 1 Apr. 2024 None of that should be surprising, even with Coachella’s increasing emphasis on pop, hip-hop, dance, and various flavors of world music (to wit: 2023 headliners Blackpink, Bad Bunny, and Frank Ocean). Steve Appleford, SPIN, 20 Apr. 2023 The surrealities of the plot exist within a universe where there seem to be no rules — to wit, Sophie finds out that Caroline is not to be trusted by walking into her office and overhearing a conversation from the foot of a staircase, while Caroline sounds off indiscreetly above. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 26 July 2022 Based in Madrid, Isabel López-Quesada combines romance, tradition, and modern cool in her wide breadth of international residential projects, to wit: a duplex apartment in Madrid’s El Viso neighborhood, formerly owned by Ava Gardner—and featured in our October 2020 issue. The Editors Of Elle Decor, ELLE Decor, 1 June 2022 Friendly towns along the way break up the flat farmland and honor an obligation to feed and entertain travelers: to wit, the brisket at Huey’s Smokehouse BBQ in Fremont, the Burma Shave signs and photo-op gas station in Sutherland, and the buffalo burger at Ole’s Big Game Steakhouse in Paxton. Outside Online, 8 Aug. 2021 Her sales numbers at retail and the box office are similarly record-breaking (to wit, Swifties literally broke Ticketmaster when these shows went on sale last fall). Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 18 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'to wit.' 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

Middle English to witen, literally, to know — more at wit

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of to wit was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near to wit

Cite this Entry

“To wit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/to%20wit. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!