witty

From Middle English witty, witti, from Old English wittiġ, witiġ, ġewittiġ (“clever, wise”), from Proto-West Germanic *witīg, *witag, from Proto-Germanic *witagaz, *wītagaz (“knowing, wise, clever”), equivalent to wit +‎ -y. Cognate with Middle Low German wittich, gewittich (“knowing, clever, wise, understanding”), German witzig (“funny, witty”), Norwegian Bokmål vettig, Norwegian Nynorsk vittig (“witty”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈwɪti/

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• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈwɪti/, [ˈwɪɾi]
• Rhymes: -ɪti

witty (comparative wittier, superlative wittiest)

1. (obsolete) Wise, having good judgement.
2. (archaic) Possessing a strong intellect or intellectual capacity; intelligent, skilful, ingenious.
   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 7, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:

     It hath beene a witty invention […] to establish and ordaine certaine vaine and worthles markes, therewith to honor and recompence vertue […].

3. Clever; amusingly ingenious.

   His speech was both witty and informative.

4. Full of wit.

   His frequent quips mark him as particularly witty.

5. Quick of mind; insightful; in possession of wits.

   She may have grown older, but she has grown no less witty.

• facetious
• humorous
• jocose
• jocular
• quick
• lively
• See also Thesaurus:witty

• kitty witty