Definitions
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. The character of being witty; the quality of being ingenious or clever.
- n. Something that is witty; an ingenious invention.
Wiktionary
- n. the quality of being witty
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. The quality of being witty.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
Examples
“The book's wittiness is derived more from the incongruous circumstances than it is from one-liners (though there are those), and I'm undecided as to whether this is a lost opportunity (could it have been funnier?) or the reason why the humor succeeds (there are several laugh-out-loud moments).”
“Sadly, his "wittiness" will be available only in Birmingham.”
“I do rather think you might need a touch more than just "wittiness" Ms Coren.”
“So much the better for throwing the wittiness of the gestures into relief.”
The Washington Post: In Mark Morris Dance Group's anniversary tour, girlpower enchants with grace
“Schauer attended her first tea party rally in 2009 and was impressed with the wittiness of the signs, the upbeat vibe, and the detailed critiques of the Federal Reserve and national budget.”
The Washington Post: For D.C.'s few tea party residents, home can at times feel like enemy territory
“Schauer attended her first tea party rally in 2009 and was impressed with the wittiness of the signs, the upbeat vibe and the detailed critiques of the Federal Reserve and national budget.”
The Washington Post: For D.C.'s few tea party residents, home can at times feel like enemy territory
“One of the reasons why I loved this novella so was the unbridled wittiness of the narrative.”
“But this is made up for by the wittiness of the commentary.”
“But, we will always have his elegant literary wittiness to amuse the honored members from the Brazilian Academy of Letters.”
Global Voices in English » Brazil: Digital mob demands the Senate President’s resignation
“And as far as sheer depth of wittiness of post, I nominate this for a spot in the top 3.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘wittiness’.
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Words related to knowledge
Words that relate to learning, knowing, being enlightened...
revelation, eureka, awakening, idea, sapient, astute, canny, intelligent, wise, sharp, shrewd, informed and 466 more...
bilby "Then spake Sir Frederick: I cannot denye you, Count Lewis, that writinge is not a maner of speaking. But this I saie, if the wordes that are spoken have any darkenesse in them, that communicacion perceth not the minde of him that heareth: and passing with out being understoode, wexeth vaine and to no purpose: the whiche dothe not happen in writyng, for if the woordes that the writer useth bring with them a litle (I will not saie diffycultie) but covered subtilty, and not so open, as suche as be ordinarily spoken, they geve a certain greater aucthoritye to writing, and make the reader more hedefull to pause at it, and to ponder it better, and he taketh a delyte in the wittinesse and learning of him that writeth, and with a good judgement, after some paines takyng, he tasteth the pleaser that consisteth in harde thinges."
- The Book of the Courtier, translation by Thomas Hoby, 1561. Apr 8, 2009