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Zany vs Witty - What's the difference?

zany | witty |

As adjectives the difference between zany and witty

is that zany is unusual and bizarre in a funny, comical way; outlandish; clownish while witty is (label) wise, having good judgement.

As a noun zany

is (obsolete) a fool or clown especially one whose business on the stage was to imitate foolishly the actions of the principal clown.

zany

English

Adjective

(er)
  • unusual and bizarre in a funny, comical way; outlandish; clownish
  • ludicrously or incongruously comical
  • Synonyms

    * wacky

    Derived terms

    * zaniness

    Noun

    (zanies)
  • (obsolete) A fool or clown. Especially one whose business on the stage was to imitate foolishly the actions of the principal clown
  • * John Donne
  • Then write that I may follow, and so be / Thy echo, thy debtor, thy foil, thy zany .
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Preacher at once, and zany of thy age.
  • * 1898 , , (Moonfleet) Chapter 4
  • So there he caught me lying like a zany on the ground. You may guess I stood at attention soon enough, but told him I was looking at the founds to see if they wanted underpinning from the floods.

    References

    * 1949', John Dover Wilson (compiler), ' Life in Shakespeare's England. A Book of Elizabethan Prose , Cambridge at the University Press. 1st ed. 1911, 2nd ed. 1913, 8th reprint. In Glossary and Notes

    witty

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • (label) Wise, having good judgement.
  • *, Bk.VIII, Ch.viij:
  • *:Then cam there a lady that was a wytty lady, and she seyde playnly unto the Kyngthat he sholde never be hole but yf that Sir Trystrames wente into the same contrey than the venym came fro, and in that contrey sholde he be holpyn, other ellys never.
  • (label) Possessing a strong intellect or intellectual capacity; intelligent, skilful, ingenious.
  • *, II.7:
  • *:It hath beene a witty invention.
  • Clever; amusingly ingenious.
  • :
  • Full of wit.
  • :
  • Quick of mind; insightful; in possession of wits.
  • :
  • Synonyms

    * facetious * humorous * jocose * jocular * quick * See also