Use witted mainly in compounds such as quick-witted, sharp-witted, or dull-witted. Bare witted is possible but much less natural than witty or clever.
Use witted mainly in compounds such as quick-witted, sharp-witted, or dull-witted. Bare witted is possible but much less natural than witty or clever.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| She is a witted speaker. | She is a witty speaker. |
| He gave a quick witted reply. | He gave a quick-witted reply. |
| The team looked more witted today. | The team looked quicker-witted today. |
| A witted plan solved the problem. | A clever plan solved the problem. |
Use witted only when quoting or deliberately echoing archaic English. Modern prose normally uses knew, realized, or understood.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| I witted the answer on the test. | I knew the answer on the test. |
| She witted that he was honest. | She realized that he was honest. |
| They have witted the rule since Monday. | They have known the rule since Monday. |
| He witted a clever joke. | He made a clever joke. |
Treat witted as a compound-building adjective in modern English. The verb-form sense belongs to archaic or deliberately old-fashioned style.
Quick witted without a hyphen is common in casual writing, but standard dictionaries treat the compound form as quick-witted.
From Middle English witted or ywitted, formed from wit plus -ed. The noun wit goes back to Old English wit or gewit, meaning understanding or intellect.
What does witted mean?
Witted usually means having a specified kind of wit or intelligence, especially in compounds such as quick-witted or dull-witted.
Is witted usually used alone?
No. Witted is most natural in compounds. Alone, witty or clever is often the better modern word.
Is quick-witted hyphenated?
Yes. Standard dictionary style treats quick-witted as a hyphenated compound.
Is witted the same as witty?
Not exactly. Witty describes clever humor, while witted usually marks a kind of mental quickness or dullness in a compound.
Can witted be compared?
Bare witted is not normally compared. Compounds can be compared when the sentence calls for it, as in quicker-witted.
Is witted a verb?
Witted can also be an archaic past form of the verb wit, meaning knew or understood, but this use is rare today.
What is the opposite of witted?
Common opposites in compounds include slow-witted, dull-witted, and dim-witted.
Where does witted come from?
Witted comes from wit plus -ed, with Middle English forms such as witted and ywitted.
How is witted pronounced?
Witted is pronounced /ˈwɪtɪd/, with stress on the first syllable.
What register is witted?
The compound adjective is neutral, though a little formal or literary in some compounds. The verb-form sense is archaic.