twit

¹

[ twit ]

verb (used with object)

, twit·ted, twit·ting.

1. to taunt, tease, ridicule, etc., with reference to anything embarrassing; gibe at.

   Synonyms: deride, insult, mock

2. to reproach or upbraid.

   Synonyms: castigate, revile, criticize, rebuke, scold, chide

noun

1. an act of twitting.
2. a derisive reproach; taunt; gibe.

twit

²

[ twit ]

noun

1. a weak or thin place in yarn caused by uneven spinning.

twit

³

[ twit ]

noun

, Informal.

1. an insignificant, silly, or bothersome person:

   Pay no attention to that obnoxious little twit!

twit

⁴

[ twit ]

noun

, Informal.

1. a confused, excited state:

   to be in a twit about company coming.

   Synonyms: stew, dither, tizzy

twit

¹

/ twɪt /

noun

1. informal.
   a foolish or stupid person; idiot

twit

²

/ twɪt /

verb

1. tr to tease, taunt, or reproach, often in jest

noun

1. informal.
   a nervous or excitable state
2. rare.
   a reproach; taunt

Word History and Origins

Origin of twit¹

First recorded in 1520–30; shortened variant of obsolete atwite, Middle English atwiten, Old English ætwītan “to taunt,” equivalent to æt- “at” + wītan “to blame”; at ¹

Origin of twit²

First recorded in 1810–20; origin uncertain

Origin of twit³

First recorded in 1920–25; perhaps originally noun derivative of twit ¹, i.e., “one who twits others,” but altered in sense by association with expressive words with tw- ( twaddle, twat, twerp, etc.) and by rhyme with nitwit

Origin of twit⁴

First recorded in 1890–95; probably shortened from twitter

Word History and Origins

Origin of twit¹

C19: from twit ¹(originally in the sense: a person given to twitting)

Origin of twit²

Old English ætwītan, from æt against + wītan to accuse; related to Old High German wīzan to punish

Example Sentences

Jane Austen wrote takedowns of this kind of ninny two centuries ago — how fun to see Pike update her twit to the post-Y2K era.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s impossible to believe that such sounds could have issued from such twits.

From Los Angeles Times

“How do you like your adventure now, you arrogant little twit?” a lechuza with Inés’s voice asked Juanita as she caressed her face with the bristly feathers of her left wing.

From Literature

Julian Sands is one of those blond, fair-skinned, blue-eyed English blokes who plays a twit as well or better than the next classically trained British actor.

From Los Angeles Times

But Musk has only proved he is a chief twit.

From Washington Post