wit

verb \ ˈwit \

|Updated on: 10 Jul 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: wit in a Sentence

Definition of wit

wist play \ˈwist\; witting; present first and third person singular wot play \ˈwät\

1 archaic : know

2 archaic : to come to know : learn

See wit defined for kids

Origin and Etymology of wit

Middle English witen (1st & 3rd singular present wot, past wiste), from Old English witan (1st & 3rd singular present wāt, past wisse, wiste); akin to Old High German wizzan to know, Latin vidēre to see, Greek eidenai to know, idein to see

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

wit

noun

Definition of wit

1 a : mind, memory

b : reasoning power : intelligence

2 a : sense 2a —usually used in plural

alone and warming his five wits, the white owl in the belfry sits
—Alfred Tennyson

b (1) : mental soundness : sanity —usually used in plural

(2) : mental capability and resourcefulness : ingenuity

3 a : astuteness of perception or judgment : acumen

b : the ability to relate seemingly disparate things so as to illuminate or amuse

c (1) : a talent for banter or persiflage

(2) : a witty utterance or exchange

d : clever or apt humor

4 a : a person of superior intellect : thinker

b : an imaginatively perceptive and articulate individual especially skilled in banter or persiflage

— at one's wit's end or at one's wits' end

: at a loss for a means of solving a problem

See wit defined for English-language learners

Examples of wit in a Sentence

She is full of wit and vivacity.
His latest book doesn't have the same wit as his earlier books.
The book is a collection of his wit and wisdom.
She was a famous writer and wit.

Recent Examples of wit from the Web

Sophie is blessed with Ben’s sports enthusiasm and quick wit.

— OrlandoSentinel.com, "Deaths in Central Florida: 7/7," 7 July 2018
Jason Bullock had the kind of effervescence and quick wit that would leave strangers in the grocery store laughing.

— teri figueroa, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Motorcyclist killed in Saturday crash was Navy veteran," 5 July 2018
Here, starting in 1919, a group of working writers and wits including Dorothy Parker and Harold Ross gathered regularly to eat lunch, swap writing-life war stories, and, well, be witty.

— jennifer larue, The Seattle Times, "Soaking up Manhattan’s literary history: A book lover’s bar-hopping guide," 2 July 2018
These aren’t your average short bouts of wit or flowery navel gazing that clutter social media.

— jill sanford, Outside Online, "9 Travel Accounts You Should Follow on Instagram," 1 July 2018
In a spirit of rebellion and wit, feminists have drafted new copy for a sexist children’s book and turned a presidential candidate’s demeaning remarks into an elegant deck of (woman) cards.

— rhaina cohen, The New Republic, "What the 1990s Got Wrong," 29 June 2018
Claire feels badly about her role in making money off the animals, and now works wit the Dinosaur Protection Group to try to save them.

— bill goodykoontz, azcentral, "'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' gets off the island," 20 June 2018
The Nashville resident, who has served in leadership positions for churches from Tennessee to Colorado, uses wit and sarcasm to relate to her audience.

— dan kelly, kansascity, "KC events June 21-27: J.B. Smoove, Penn & Teller, Tour de Lakes, Fiesta Filipina," 19 June 2018
LeBron looked to be at wit's end by the second half of Game 4, broken by another of the Warriors' third-quarter eruptions.

— rob mahoney, SI.com, "Warriors Prove That Third Title in Four Years Was All but a Formality," 9 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of wit

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German wizzi knowledge, Old English witan to know

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

wit Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of wit

wit, humor, irony, sarcasm, satire, repartee mean a mode of expression intended to arouse amusement. wit suggests the power to evoke laughter by remarks showing verbal felicity or ingenuity and swift perception especially of the incongruous.

- a playful wit

humor implies an ability to perceive the ludicrous, the comical, and the absurd in human life and to express these usually without bitterness.

- a sense of humor

irony applies to a manner of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is seemingly expressed.

- the irony of the title

sarcasm applies to expression frequently in the form of irony that is intended to cut or wound.

- given to heartless sarcasm

satire applies to writing that exposes or ridicules conduct, doctrines, or institutions either by direct criticism or more often through irony, parody, or caricature.