witty
Clever; amusingly ingenious.
Adjective
- Clever; amusingly ingenious.
- His speech was both witty and informative.
- Full of wit.
- His frequent quips mark him as particularly witty.
- Quick of mind; insightful; in possession of wits.
- She may have grown older, but she has grown no less witty.
- Wise, having good judgement.
- Possessing a strong intellect or intellectual capacity; intelligent, skilful, ingenious.
- It hath beene a witty invention[…]to establish and ordaine certaine vaine and worthles markes, therewith to honor and recompence vertue[…]. - 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 7, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes...
Origin
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”).
Forms
Synonyms
facetious humorous jocose jocular quick lively witty amusing bright diverting droll entertaining piquant quick on the draw quick-witted sharp tongue-in-cheek
Antonyms
brainless lowbrow stupid witless corny hackneyed lame humorless uncomic unfunny earnest grave serious sober solemn somber