DictionaryAI

wit

WIT/wɪt/

Pluralwits (some meanings)

7 meanings of wit

Practice

  1. 1
    clever humornoununcountable
    A clever, quick kind of humor that makes people laugh.

    Her stories were full of wit, and the whole table laughed.

    He answered the teasing with wit instead of anger.

    UsageSay she has a sharp wit.

    Similarhumor, repartee, banter, drollery

    Note
  2. 2
    quick thinkingnouncountable or uncountable
    Being clever and sensible, and able to think fast.

    Like having fast legs, but for your mind.

    It took quick wit to answer such a tricky question.

    She had the wit to grab the rope before the boat drifted off.

    UsageSay keep your wits about you.

    Similarintelligence, sense, cleverness

  3. 3
    sanitynounplural
    A healthy mind that thinks clearly and normally.

    The fever got so bad that his family feared for his wits.

    The sudden bang scared her out of her wits.

    UsageSay scared out of my wits.

    Similarsanity, reason, mind

    Oppositemadness, insanity

    Note
  4. 4
    funny personnouncountable
    A person who is funny and clever and often makes other people laugh.

    My uncle is the wit of the family, always ready with a joke.

    Everyone wanted to sit near the class wit at lunch.

    UsageSay he is quite a wit.

    Similarhumorist, wag, joker, comedian, comic

    Note
  5. 5
    with (speech)prepositiondialectalUSpronunciation spelling
    Pronunciation spelling of with: how with sounds when the th at the end is said like t.

    "You comin' wit us or not?" Tony shouted from the car.

    "I'll bring the chips wit me," she texted back.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 6
    verbarchaictransitive or intransitive
    To know something or to be aware of it.
    but soon having wist How sky-breadth and field-silence and this day Are symbols also in some deeper way, She looked through these to God and was God’s priest.
    1849, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, St. Luke the PainterHere, wist means known or become aware of something.
    They are meddling in matters that men should not wit of.
    Here, wit of means know about something.

    UsageTo wit means namely.

    Note
  2. 7
    nounobsoleteplural
    The senses of the body, such as sight, hearing, and touch.
    Note

More uses

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–4, 7

From Old English witt, meaning understanding or intellect. It goes back to an ancient root meaning 'to see, to know'.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

Meaning 6

From Old English witan, meaning 'to know'. It comes from an ancient root meaning 'to see, to know'.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Meaning 5

From the word 'with'.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact