Definition

1. Noun:
   • The quality of being witty; the ability to express oneself in a clever and amusing way, often through verbal ingenuity, skill, or the use of incongruity to evoke laughter.

Usage

• Wittiness is an abstract noun that describes a characteristic of speech, writing, or thought. It refers to the clever and humorous quality itself, not the specific instance of a witty remark. It is often used in discussions of humor, rhetoric, or personality traits.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Her conversation was admired for its sharp wittiness and insight.
  • The essay's success relied more on its wittiness than on the depth of its argument.
  • He is known more for his wittiness than for his patience.

Advanced Usage

• "A display of wittiness": An instance or demonstration of being witty.
  • His quick reply was a brilliant display of wittiness.
• "Lacking in wittiness": Describing something that is not clever or amusing.
  • The speech was factual but sorely lacking in wittiness.

Variants and Related Words

• Witty (adj): Possessing or showing wit; cleverly humorous.
  • She is known for her witty remarks.
• Wit (n): (1) The capacity for inventive thought and quick understanding; keen intelligence. (2) A natural aptitude for using words and ideas in a quick and inventive way to create humor.
  • He is a man of great wit and charm.

Synonyms

• Cleverness: Intelligence and quickness of mind, especially in humor.
• Humor: The quality of being amusing or comic.
• Drollery: The quality of being oddly or whimsically amusing.
• Repartee: Conversation or speech characterized by quick, witty comments or replies.

Antonyms

• Dullness: Lacking interest or excitement; boring.
• Solemnity: The state or quality of being serious and dignified.
• Gravity: Extreme or alarming importance; seriousness.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "A turn of wit": A clever or witty expression.
  • The article was full of amusing turns of wit.
• "To have a ready wit": To be able to think of clever and funny things to say quickly.
  • A good debater must have a ready wit.

Noun

1. a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter