witty

adjective

wit·​ty ˈwi-tē 

wittier; wittiest

1

: marked by or full of clever humor or wit : smartly facetious or jocular

a witty novel

2

: quick or ready to see or express illuminating or amusing relationships or insights

a witty raconteur

3

: amusingly or ingeniously clever in conception or execution

the costumes are sumptuous and witty

—Virgil Thomson

the musical background is … often witty

—Wolcott Gibbs

4

archaic : having good intellectual capacity : intelligent

wittily

ˈwi-tə-lē 

adverb

wittiness

ˈwi-tē-nəs 

noun

Did you know?

Witty and Wise

When we call someone witty, we are typically ascribing to them the quality of clever humor. This has not always been the case: witty (and the word it is formed from, wit) originally referred to intelligence or good judgment. Although the “mentally capable” meaning of witty has largely become obsolete, we still see vestiges of it in various expressions involving wit, such as wit and wisdom or out of one’s wits. Another phrase, to wit, meaning “that is, namely,” comes directly from the Middle English to witen (“to know”).

Synonyms

• clever
• facetious
• humorous
• jocular
• smart

Choose the Right Synonym for witty

witty, humorous, facetious, jocular, jocose mean provoking or intended to provoke laughter.

witty suggests cleverness and quickness of mind.

a witty remark

humorous applies broadly to anything that evokes usually genial laughter and may contrast with witty in suggesting whimsicality or eccentricity.

humorous anecdotes

facetious stresses a desire to produce laughter and may be derogatory in implying dubious or ill-timed attempts at wit or humor.

facetious comments

jocular implies a usually habitual fondness for jesting and joking.

a jocular fellow

jocose is somewhat less derogatory than facetious in suggesting habitual waggishness or playfulness.

jocose proposals

Examples of witty in a Sentence

We'd kept everything witty and cool, until the air between us was so ironized that to say anything in earnest would have been a breach of manners, even of trust. —Tobias Wolff, Old School, 2003

… 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

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

a witty talk show host

a witty and sardonic blogger who never fails to amuse his legion of readers

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead, showrunner Gemma Burgess has put together an irreverent engaging romp rife with witty banter, political intrigue, and a bit of derring-do—not to mention a killer soundtrack. —Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 2024

The vibrant costumes, the whimsical sets, the magical creatures create a fairy tale atmosphere, while the witty dialogue and pop culture references make the movie feel fresh and accessible to a modern audience. —Travis Bean, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024

For the first time since 2018, The Mark Morris Dance Group is back in New York City with its witty, beloved update on E. T. A. Hoffmann‘s 18th century fairytale and Tchaikovsky’s timeless score. —Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 19 Dec. 2024

The writing is stellar — witty journalist Gina Lombardi is the most compelling new character in years — which helps to make this Indy’s best outing since 1989’s The Last Crusade. —Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see wit entry 2

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Kids Definition

witty

adjective

wit·​ty ˈwit-ē 

wittier; wittiest

: marked by or full of wit : amusing

a witty writer

a witty remark

wittily

ˈwit-ᵊl-ē 

adverb

wittiness

ˈwit-ē-nəs 

noun