Wit

Part of speech: noun, verb, adjective

Pronunciation: /wɪt/

Definitions

1. The ability to think quickly and understand things clearly ; a style of humor or clever remark that shows intelligence and inventiveness
2. The capacity for rapid comprehension and sharp thinking ; a clever or amusing comment demonstrating intelligence and creativity
3. Quickness in perceiving and responding with intelligence ; a humorous and smart expression or comment that entertains

Etymology: The word "wit" once meant something much closer to knowing than to joking. Its ancestor, Old English "witt", meant "mind" or "understanding", and the verb "witan" meant "to know". The root goes back to a Proto-Indo-European verb meaning "to see", which also gave Latin "videō" and Greek "oîda", "I know", since seeing and knowing were linked in the ancient imagination. For centuries the sense stayed in the realm of mental faculty. The phrase "to wit", meaning "that is to say", survives from this older vocabulary of knowing, and "witless" once meant simply lacking understanding. The shift toward clever, playful humour came later, as the word narrowed from general intelligence to the quick, inventive mind that produces a sharp remark. The German cognate "Witz" followed a parallel path, now meaning "joke".

Synonyms: humor, cleverness, intelligence, shrewdness, wisdom

Antonyms: dullness, ignorance, stupidity, foolishness, inanity