Cleverer

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈklɛvɚɚ/

Definitions

1. Exhibiting superior intelligence or ingenuity compared to others
2. Demonstrating heightened adaptability or inventiveness in thought processes relative to one's peers
3. Having more mental skill or quickness than others, showing sharpness in thinking

Etymology: Clever began as a word for grasping things quickly and tenaciously, not for being brainy. In East Anglian dialect, "cliver" meant expert at seizing, and Middle English "cliver" meant tenacious, which suggests a sense closer to a hand that clings than to a sharp mind. The exact source is uncertain: it may come from an Old English word meaning clinging, or from Low German or Dutch words linked to "cleave," or from Norwegian dialect "klover," meaning ready or skillful. The sense of mental quickness developed from this idea of skillful, ready handling. Some scholars also suggest possible influence from Old English "clifer," meaning claw or hand, which fits the notion of seizing something firmly. "Cleverer" is simply the comparative of "clever," formed by adding "-er" to the adjective, so it carries the same history forward.

Synonyms: smarter, brighter

Antonyms: dumber, foolish