wit

• Capacité à penser de manière vive et inventive et à s'exprimer avec esprit et humour; personne qui possède ce don; ou, au pluriel, les facultés mentales, la raison.

The capacity for quick, inventive thought and humorous expression; a person endowed with such talent; or, in plural, one’s mental faculties.

1. The ability to think quickly and express ideas in an inventive, amusing manner.B2formal

   A mental sharpness and keen perception that enables a person to grasp situations swiftly and communicate with clever, often humorous phrasing; distinct from wisdom or knowledge, it emphasizes speed and creativity of thought.

   esprit (vif)

   • Her quick thinking and clever remarks kept the conversation lively all evening.
   • The speaker’s sharp humour delighted the crowd.
   • He relies on his mental agility rather than brute strength to solve problems.
   • A dry, understated cleverness distinguishes their writing.
   • Surviving on the streets requires more resourcefulness than formal intelligence.

   Synonymesbadinagebanterclevernesscomedydrolleryhumorjocularityrailleryreparteewittiness

2. A person noted for their clever, humorous conversation.B2formal

   An individual who habitually makes inventive and amusing remarks, often in social settings, and is known for their ability to entertain and provoke thought through speech.

   Personne pleine d'esprit

   • Oscar Wilde was one of the most celebrated conversationalists of his time.
   • The dinner party was dull until a celebrated humorist arrived.
   • She had a reputation as a sharp-tongued satirist among her colleagues.
   • Political cartoonists are often the public observers who mock through art.
   • The talk show host was a well-known quipster loved for his spontaneous jokes.

   Synonymescomedianhumoristjokerpunsterwag

3. The mental faculties; soundness of mind (often used in the plural).B2formal

   The basic intellectual powers essential for reasoning, decision-making, and staying alert to one’s surroundings; frequently referred to in phrases that imply retaining or losing one’s mental balance.

   facultés mentales

   • After the accident, it took him days to fully recover his mental clarity.
   • Keep your alertness about you when walking through the unfamiliar neighborhood.
   • The fright nearly drove her out of her sound mind.
   • You need all your common sense to negotiate with a toddler.
   • He was scared out of his reasoning when the lights went out.

   Synonymesalertnesscommon senseintelligencejudgmentmindperceptionreasonsanity