mother wit

[muhth-er wit]

noun

1. natural or practical intelligence, wit, or sense.

mother wit

noun

1. native practical intelligence; common sense

Word History and Origins

Origin of mother wit¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English moderis wytte

Example Sentences

Gault eventually got there, reclaiming a bit of her mom's "mother wit."

From Salon

To understand the limits of my own education and the farther reach of mother wit.

From Seattle Times

As for their viewing of Spike Lee’s movie, the scene that Tanne derives from it is a minor masterwork of ironic psychology and mother wit.

From The New Yorker

She encouraged me to listen carefully to what country people called mother wit.

From Literature

But mother wit and “needs must” trained him in a short time to win the ear of an audience.

From Project Gutenberg