different between laughable vs witty

English

Etymology

From laugh +? -able.

Pronunciation

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /?la?f?bl?/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /?l??f?bl?/, /?læf?bl?/
• (US) enPR: ?l?f?bl?, IPA^(key): /?læf?bl?/

Adjective

laughable (comparative more laughable, superlative most laughable)

1. (now rare) Fitted to excite laughter; humorous.
   • 1808–10, William Hickey, Memoirs of a Georgian Rake, Folio Society 1995, p. 91:

     At this our first dinner at the Government House a very laughable incident occurred.

2. Worthless; worthy of contempt or derision.

Synonyms

• droll, ludicrous, mirthful, comical, risible, ridiculous

Derived terms

• laughableness
• laughably

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English witty, witti, from Old English witti? (“clever, wise”), equivalent to wit +? -y,See Norwegian Bokmål vettig.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?w?ti/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?w?ti/, [?w??i]
• Rhymes: -?ti

Adjective

witty (comparative wittier, superlative wittiest)

1. (obsolete) Wise, having good judgement.

   • Then cam there a lady that was a wytty lady, and she seyde playnly unto the Kyng […] that he sholde never be hole but yf that Sir Trystrames wente into the same contrey than the venym came fro, and in that contrey sholde he be holpyn, other ellys never.

2. (archaic) Possessing a strong intellect or intellectual capacity; intelligent, skilful, ingenious.
3. Clever; amusingly ingenious.

4. Full of wit.

5. Quick of mind; insightful; in possession of wits.

Synonyms

• facetious
• humorous
• jocose
• jocular
• quick
• lively
• See also Thesaurus:witty

Translations