Witty: Adjective

The forms of the word: Witter (Comparative); Wittiest (Superlative).

What Does Witty Mean?

The expression of words in a clever and intelligent way often causes laughter. Witty is a funny and clever remark and delivered at the right time. If you make such type of remarks, you are also a witty person. The use of the adjective witty demonstrates a piercing and sharp humor and this word is delivered in a frisky manner to describe quick funny remarks. Therefore, instead of referring to the carefully planned and elaborate remarks, witty refers to the things that are impromptu and amusing. The use of this adjective occurs in a complementary way. However, the use of the word “clever” occurs in a sarcastic way. One can use the word “clever” to describe your actions or says when he or she does not appreciate that. Therefore, witty is the combination of flippant expression and clever conception.

Witty Definition:

The word “witty” can be defined in many ways.

  1. If someone or his or her creation reflects wit or is full of clever humor, we can define the person or his creation as witty. (Smartly jocular or facetious).
    Example: Max Barry’s Company is a witty novel.
  2. A design, concept, or performance that is original or amazingly and entertainingly clever.
    Example: i) He has produced a witty choreography. ii) This is a witty sculpture.
  3. Having or characterized by good intellectual capacity or the nature of wit; jocular or funny.
    Example: A witty saying.
  4. Something or someone is clever and intelligent.
  5. Demonstration of wit in writing, speech, or other expressions; humorous and clever. Example: Peter has delivered a witty dialogue on the political scene.

6. A person who possesses a strong intellect; skillful, intelligent, and ingenious.

In short, we can define witty as someone or something that is full of wit, clever, funny, amusingly ingenious, insightful, and quick of mind.

Witty Synonyms:

Synonyms for witty: clever, humorous, facetious, smart, jocular, amusing, funny, droll, comic, chucklesome.

The Right Selection of Synonym for Witty:

Even though the words witty, facetious, humorous, amusing, droll, funny, jocular, and jocose reflect the meaning of something provoking or cause laughter, the right understanding of the meaning of each word will help you to use the words properly. For instance, WITTY reflects quickness and cleverness of mind. Whereas the word FACETIOUS signifies a desire to cause laughter and therefore, it may be pejorative in implying untimely or dubious attempts at humor or wit. HUMOROUS indicates anything that provokes genial laughter and may differ from witty in expressing eccentricity and whimsicality. AMUSING is something that provides entertainment and causes laughter. DROLL indicates unusual or curious in a way that aggravates dry amusement. FUNNY is something humorous that causes amusement or laughter. JOCULAR signifies habitual keenness for joking and jesting. JOCOSE refers to a mildly naughty quality in jesting or joking and therefore, this word is less pejorative in comparison to FACEITOUS in expressing habitual playfulness.

Derived Forms of Witty:

Wittily (Adverb)

Wittiness (Noun)

Witticism: Witticism refers to a witty remark. Dryden coined this word (as witticism) in the 1670s.

The Relation between Witty and Wise:

If we describe someone as witty, we actually ascribe the quality of humor and cleverness that the person possesses. However, witty originally indicates a good judgment or intelligence. Whereas witty refers to a quick way to produce humor using ideas and words, wisdom signifies the soundness of making a decision or doing an action with regard to good judgment and knowledge. However, we can find various ways to express witty.

Examples of Witty in a Sentence:

“Yet for all his solemnity, Hamlet was also the play’s and Shakespeare’s wittiest wit, with as many one-liners as any comic in the whole canon.”

Reed Whittemore, Pure Lives, 1988.

“Cyril clung to the delusion that his tie was witty.”

Woe Is I.

“Now I’ll have to listen to how witty, funny, humble, fierce, and charming everybody else is before I go up.”

The Hunger Games.

“… when she walked up to me and made a caustic remark on the principal’s address of the morning, I couldn’t help laughing, as she was obviously not only intelligent but very witty.”

Margaret A. Edwards, The Fair Garden and the Swarm of Beasts, 1994.

“He had a temper but could also be witty and charming.”

Times, Sunday Times, 2016.

“But their intelligent, witty songs are matched by hauntingly powerful riffs.” —

The Sun, 2006.

History of the Use of Witty:

The word “Witty” was first used before the 12th century. The use of this word is found in Old English as well as in Middle English. The phrase “To Wit” that indicates the meaning “Namely” has come from Middle English. In Middle English, you can observe the use of the phrase “To Witen” which refers to the meaning “To Know”.

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