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twit

1
[ twit ]
/ twɪt /
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verb (used with object), twit·ted, twit·ting.
to taunt, tease, ridicule, etc., with reference to anything embarrassing; gibe at.
to reproach or upbraid.
noun
an act of twitting.
a derisive reproach; taunt; gibe.
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Origin of twit

1
First recorded in 1520–30; shortened variant of obsolete atwite, Middle English atwiten, Old English ætwītan “to taunt,” equivalent to æt- “at” + wītan “to blame”; see at1

Words nearby twit

twisting, twist in the wind, twist someone's arm, twist tie, twisty, twit, twitch, twitcher, twitch grass, twitching trail, twitchy

Other definitions for twit (2 of 4)

twit2
[ twit ]
/ twɪt /
noun
a weak or thin place in yarn caused by uneven spinning.

Origin of twit

2
First recorded in 1810–20; origin uncertain

Other definitions for twit (3 of 4)

twit3
[ twit ]
/ twɪt /
noun Informal.
an insignificant, silly, or bothersome person: Pay no attention to that obnoxious little twit!

Origin of twit

3
First recorded in 1920–25; perhaps originally noun derivative of twit1, i.e., “one who twits others,” but altered in sense by association with expressive words with tw- (twaddle, twat, twerp, etc.) and by rhyme with nitwit

Other definitions for twit (4 of 4)

twit4
[ twit ]
/ twɪt /
noun Informal.
a confused, excited state: to be in a twit about company coming.

OTHER WORDS FOR twit

dither, tizzy, stew.
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Origin of twit

4
First recorded in 1890–95; probably shortened from twitter
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to twit

rag, laugh, deride, jest, takeoff, rally, jolly, rib, caricature, jape, josh, quiz, lampoon, haze, travesty, pan, scorn, humiliate, pooh-pooh, banter

How to use twit in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for twit (1 of 2)

twit1
/ (twɪt) /
verb twits, twitting or twitted
(tr) to tease, taunt, or reproach, often in jest
noun
US and Canadian informal a nervous or excitable state
rare a reproach; taunt

Word Origin for twit

Old English ætwītan, from æt against + wītan to accuse; related to Old High German wīzan to punish

British Dictionary definitions for twit (2 of 2)

twit2
/ (twɪt) /
noun
informal, mainly British a foolish or stupid person; idiot

Word Origin for twit

C19: from twit 1 (originally in the sense: a person given to twitting)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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