wise
1OTHER WORDS FOR wise
Idioms about wise
Origin of wise
1OTHER WORDS FROM wise
wise·ly, adverbOther definitions for wise (2 of 5)
Origin of wise
2Other definitions for wise (3 of 5)
- to instruct.
- to induce or advise.
- to show the way to; guide.
Origin of wise
3Other definitions for wise (4 of 5)
Other definitions for wise (5 of 5)
words often confused with -wise
WORDS THAT USE -WISE
What does -wise mean?
Examples of -wise
An example of a word you may have encountered that features –wise is clockwise, “in the direction of the rotation of the hands of a clock.”
The clock– part of the word refers, of course, to the device that tells time. We know that –wise means “direction.” Clockwise literally translates to “in the direction of a clock,” i.e., in rotation from the left to the right.
What are some words that use the combining form –wise?
- counterclockwise
- edgewise
- otherwise
- somewise
- stepwise
- termwise (using the equivalent form of –wise in Middle English)
What are some other forms that –wise may be commonly confused with?
Not every word that ends with the exact letters –wise, such as worldly-wise or overwise, is necessarily using the suffix –wise to denote “direction.” Learn why overwise means “too smart” at our entry for the word.
Break it down!
Given the meaning of the suffix –wise, what does edgewise mean?