different between colorful vs quick-witted

English

Alternative forms

• colourful (Commonwealth English)

Etymology

color +? -ful

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?k?l?f?l/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?k?l?f?l/

Adjective

colorful (comparative more colorful, superlative most colorful) (American spelling)

1. Possessing prominent and varied colors.
   • 1895, The Annual of the British School at Athens

     It was a colourful vase with red and white hoops on the lid, and red bands above and below the main frieze. These bands also carry a metope pattern in white of triple lines and blobs, which can just be distinguished on the photographs.

2. Interesting, multifaceted, energetic, distinctive.
3. (euphemistic) Profane, obscene, offensive (usually in the phrase colourful language).
   • 2002, news.bbc.co.uk

     Hussain celebrated reaching his ton with a gesture towards the media centre, pointing to the number three on the back of his shirt and offering some colourful language.

Synonyms

• (possessing prominent and varied colors): motley, multicolored, polychromatic; see also Thesaurus:multicolored

Translations

English

Etymology

From quick +? wit +? -ed.

Adjective

quick-witted (comparative more quick-witted, superlative most quick-witted)

1. Mentally keen and alert.

   She was far too quick-witted to miss the implications of what he was saying.

Related terms

• witty

Translations