Outwise

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To surpass someone by demonstrating greater intelligence or cleverness
2. To gain an advantage over another through superior wit or mental skill
3. To defeat or overcome someone by using smarter or more cunning methods

Etymology: "Outwise" is a verb meaning to beat someone by being cleverer than they are. It is built from the prefix "out-", meaning "beyond" or "surpassing," attached to "wise," from Old English "wis," meaning knowing or sensible. The pattern is an old English one: "outrun," "outwit," and "outdo" all work the same way, and "outwise" follows that model. The word is rare and largely literary, appearing mostly in older writing and occasional modern use rather than everyday speech. Its formation is plain, so the interest lies in how transparently it combines two familiar parts, and in the fact that English could coin a verb like this by simply placing "out-" before an adjective, as it did with "outwit," a close relative that proved far more durable.

Synonyms: surpass, outdo, exceed, outperform

Antonyms: underperform, fail, lose