Wit, Whiz, Wizard
Have you ever wondered where phrases like “She’s a whiz at math” or “I’m at my wit’s end” come from? Being ‘at my wit’s end’ doesn’t mean that I don’t have any jokes left.
The origins of the words wit, whiz, and wizard are related to the origins of the words wise and wisdom.
The word wit has its origins in the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root weid (to see, to know) and Proto-Germanic wit (the source of Old Saxon wit, Old Norse vit, Danish vid, Old High German wizzi (knowledge), and others). Old English wit, witt, and gewit (understanding, intellect, sense; knowledge, consciousness, conscience) and Old English witan (to know) are also from Proto-Germanic wit.
The word wizard, from the early 15th century, meant a philosopher or person possessing great wisdom. In the 16th century, wizard took on more magical connotations (“How on earth do they know that?!”). The noun whiz, meaning a clever person, is from 1914.
In the late 15th century, a wit was a person of learning. Wit, meaning the ability to connect ideas and express them in an amusing way, is from the 1540s. The word witty is first seen as Old English wittig (witty; clever, wise, sagacious; in one’s right mind). From the 1580s, a witty person was one ‘possessing a sparkling wit’.
In the 16th century, the term ‘five wits’ referred to knowledge and situations not related to the five senses. These five wits comprised humor, imagination, fantasy, enumeration or estimation, and memory.
Today, wit implies mind, memory, reasoning power, intelligence, [common] sense (i.e., using one’s senses), ingenuity (mental soundness, mental capability, resourcefulness), acumen (astuteness of perception or judgment; for example, business acumen), and imaginative perception.
Wit also means a talent for banter and witticism: the ability to think and talk on your feet, to respond in the moment with insight and humor. We admire the person who seems to effortlessly come up with the right clever or witty remark at the right moment. Such people have the ability to connect seemingly disparate things in order to illuminate or amuse. Perhaps in stressful situations, a witty person can be said to have their wits about them.
In short, wit is a lovely old word that encompasses intelligence and humor. Wit is not just what you know but more importantly it is how you know and how you engage your knowing with delight and affection when with other people in the immediacy of a given situation.
Reference: Online Etymological Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/
David’s Wordshop Blog: http://www.davidtickner.ca/blog
www.davidtickner.ca
The origins of the words wit, whiz, and wizard are related to the origins of the words wise and wisdom.
The word wit has its origins in the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root weid (to see, to know) and Proto-Germanic wit (the source of Old Saxon wit, Old Norse vit, Danish vid, Old High German wizzi (knowledge), and others). Old English wit, witt, and gewit (understanding, intellect, sense; knowledge, consciousness, conscience) and Old English witan (to know) are also from Proto-Germanic wit.
The word wizard, from the early 15th century, meant a philosopher or person possessing great wisdom. In the 16th century, wizard took on more magical connotations (“How on earth do they know that?!”). The noun whiz, meaning a clever person, is from 1914.
In the late 15th century, a wit was a person of learning. Wit, meaning the ability to connect ideas and express them in an amusing way, is from the 1540s. The word witty is first seen as Old English wittig (witty; clever, wise, sagacious; in one’s right mind). From the 1580s, a witty person was one ‘possessing a sparkling wit’.
In the 16th century, the term ‘five wits’ referred to knowledge and situations not related to the five senses. These five wits comprised humor, imagination, fantasy, enumeration or estimation, and memory.
Today, wit implies mind, memory, reasoning power, intelligence, [common] sense (i.e., using one’s senses), ingenuity (mental soundness, mental capability, resourcefulness), acumen (astuteness of perception or judgment; for example, business acumen), and imaginative perception.
Wit also means a talent for banter and witticism: the ability to think and talk on your feet, to respond in the moment with insight and humor. We admire the person who seems to effortlessly come up with the right clever or witty remark at the right moment. Such people have the ability to connect seemingly disparate things in order to illuminate or amuse. Perhaps in stressful situations, a witty person can be said to have their wits about them.
In short, wit is a lovely old word that encompasses intelligence and humor. Wit is not just what you know but more importantly it is how you know and how you engage your knowing with delight and affection when with other people in the immediacy of a given situation.
Reference: Online Etymological Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/
David’s Wordshop Blog: http://www.davidtickner.ca/blog
www.davidtickner.ca
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