witticism

/ˈwɪtɪsɪzəm/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈwɪtɪsɪzəm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈwi-tə-ˌsi-zəm How to pronounce witticism (audio)/ (ame, mw)

witticism — noun

  • witticismsingular
  • witticismsplural

1. a short, clever remark made during conversation that makes people laugh because

1.名詞C1
釋義

a short, clever remark made during conversation that makes people laugh because of its intelligence or unexpected way with words

例句

At the office party, Elena made a witticism about the coffee machine that had everyone laughing.

make a witticism about [topic]

The comedian's witticism about airline delays drew a loud laugh from the tired passengers.

同義詞
  • quip

    very similar in meaning, often a faster, more spontaneous response in conversation

  • joke

    broader in meaning — a witticism is a specific type of joke that depends on cleverness

  • wisecrack

    informal and often slightly mocking or sarcastic in tone

  • pun

    a type of witticism that relies on double meanings of words

反義詞
  • insult

    intended to hurt, not to amuse with cleverness

  • platitude

    a dull, unoriginal remark without wit or humor

用法筆記

Often used with adjectives such as 'quick' or 'well-timed' to describe the quality of the humor. Common in descriptions of someone's conversational style or in reviews of performances.

常見錯誤

❌She made a funny witticism.
✅She made a witticism.
💡The word witticism already includes the idea of being funny, so adding 'funny' is redundant.