witling

[ wit-ling ]

noun

1. a person who affects wittiness.

witling

/ ˈwɪtlɪŋ /

noun

1. archaic.
   a person who thinks himself witty

Word History and Origins

Origin of witling¹

First recorded in 1685–95; wit ¹ + -ling ¹

Example Sentences

Those sales are witling away the supply glut as industrial consumption strengthens.

From BusinessWeek

Ah! why did I invoke the nine To aid these humble toils of mine— That now forebode through every page The witling's sneer, the critic's rage.

From Project Gutenberg

Far hence the Wag's and Witling's scurril jest, Whose noise and nonsense shock the decent guest; True Wit and Humour such low helps decline, Nor will the Graces owe their charms to wine.

From Project Gutenberg

This attic pastime continued for some years, till some witling contaminated the purity of the urn by a licentious composition, and the vessel was closed for ever.

From Project Gutenberg

The caricaturists took a mean advantage of his phenomenal leanness, and called him the “Duke of Barebones,” and a Court witling made the cruel jest that “the French had sent over the preliminaries of an ambassador to conclude the preliminaries of a peace.”

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• dunce