wit
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,806 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 10,045 times across 175,173 chapters — 0.005% of every word in the library.
What it means
noun
- a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter also: humor, humour, witticism, wittiness
- mental ability also: brain, brainpower, learning ability, mental capacity, mentality he's got plenty of brains but no common sense
- a witty amusing person who makes jokes also: wag, card
wit in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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I'll be sworn her heart is as true as her wit.
Representative Plays by American Dramatists — Love in '76 · Oliver Bell Bunce · Chapter 1
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The ordinary women, like Babykins and Cordelia Grenellen, don't understand his subtle wit.
The Reflections of Ambrosine: A Novel · Elinor Glyn · Chapter 1
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A small, wiry, red-headed chap, with a quick, ready laugh and the kind of wit that made everyone like him.
Brigands of the Moon · Ray Cummings · Chapter 1
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During all these years the gay young "university wit" of earlier days was probably forgotten in the venerable and successful physician.
Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia · Martha Foote [Editor] Crow · Chapter 1
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The only novelty which sticks in my memory and earns my gratitude is the title for the female Bolshevik, to wit, Bolshevixen.
Punch — Vol. 159, 1920-07-28 · Various · Chapter 1