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Witting vs Knowing - What's the difference?

witting | knowing |

As nouns the difference between witting and knowing

is that witting is (obsolete) knowledge, awareness while knowing is the act or condition of having knowledge.

As adjectives the difference between witting and knowing

is that witting is aware, knowledgable while knowing is possessing knowledge or understanding; intelligent.

As verbs the difference between witting and knowing

is that witting is while knowing is .

witting

English

Etymology 1

Partly from (etyl) vitand, partly from the present participle of (wit).

Noun

(-)
  • (obsolete) Knowledge, awareness.
  • * Late 14th century , Geoffrey Chaucer, ‘The Wife of Bath's Prologue’ ll. 648-9, Canterbury Tales , Oxford 1988, p. 113:
    • for his wyf was at a someres game, / Wiþouten his wityng , he forsook hire eke.

    Etymology 2

    Participle adjective of wit.

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • aware, knowledgable
    • Antonyms
    * unwitting

    Verb

    (head)

    • knowing

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Possessing knowledge or understanding; intelligent.
  • * South
    • The knowing and intelligent part of the world.
  • Shrewd or showing clever awareness.
    • a knowing rascal
  • Suggestive of private knowledge.
  • Deliberate

    • Verb

    (head)

    • Derived terms

    * knowingly

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act or condition of having knowledge.
  • * 2009 , Gilbert Ryle, The Concept of Mind: 60th Anniversary Edition (page 194)
    • Sensations then, are not perceivings, observings or findings; they are not detectings, scannings or inspectings; they are not apprehendings, cognisings, intuitings or knowings .