The difference between Intelligence and Wit

When used as nouns, intelligence means capacity of mind, especially to understand principles, truths, facts or meanings, acquire knowledge, and apply it to practice, whereas wit means sanity.


Wit is also verb with the meaning: know, be aware of .

check bellow for the other definitions of Intelligence and Wit

  1. Intelligence as a noun (mostly, uncountable):

    Capacity of mind, especially to understand principles, truths, facts or meanings, acquire knowledge, and apply it to practice; the ability to comprehend and learn.

  2. Intelligence as a noun (countable):

    An entity that has such capacities.

  3. Intelligence as a noun (mostly, uncountable):

    Information, usually secret, about the enemy or about hostile activities.

  4. Intelligence as a noun (countable):

    A political or military department, agency or unit designed to gather information, usually secret, about the enemy or about hostile activities.

  5. Intelligence as a noun (dated):

    Acquaintance; intercourse; familiarity.

  1. Wit as a noun (now, _, usually, _, in the plural, pluralonly):

    Sanity.

    Examples:

    "He's gone completely out of his wits."

  2. Wit as a noun (obsolete, _, usually, _, in the plural):

    The senses.

  3. Wit as a noun:

    Intellectual ability; faculty of thinking, reasoning.

    Examples:

    "Where she has gone to is beyond the wit of man to say."

  4. Wit as a noun:

    The ability to think quickly; mental cleverness, especially under short time constraints.

    Examples:

    "My father had a quick wit and a steady hand."

  5. Wit as a noun:

    Intelligence; common sense.

    Examples:

    "The opportunity was right in front of you, and you didn't even have the wit to take it!"

  6. Wit as a noun:

    Humour, especially when clever or quick.

    Examples:

    "The best man's speech was hilarious, full of wit and charm."

  7. Wit as a noun:

    A person who tells funny anecdotes or jokes; someone witty.

    Examples:

    "Your friend is quite a wit, isn't he?"

  1. Wit as a verb (ambitransitive, chiefly, archaic):

    Know, be aware of .

    Examples:

    "You committed terrible actions — to wit, murder and theft — and should be punished accordingly."

    "They are meddling in matters that men should not wit of."

  1. Wit as a preposition (Southern American English):

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