different between witty vs whimsy

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

English

Alternative forms

• whimsey

Etymology

Probably from whims +? -y. Related to whim-wham, whim.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?w?mzi/, /???mzi/

Noun

whimsy (usually uncountable, plural whimsies)

1. A quaint and fanciful idea; a whim; playfully odd behaviour.
2. An impulsive, illogical or capricious character.
3. (mining) A whim (capstan or vertical drum).
4. A jigsaw puzzle piece that has been cut into a recognizable shape, as if on a whim; often the shape is representative of the theme of the image used for the puzzle.

Translations

Verb

whimsy (third-person singular simple present whimsies, present participle whimsying, simple past and past participle whimsied)

1. (transitive) To fill with whimsies or whims; to make fantastic; to craze.