twit

1
[ twit ]
/ twɪt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR twit ON THESAURUS.COM

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

Definition 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

Definition 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

Definition for twit (4 of 4)

twit4
[ twit ]
/ twɪt /

noun Informal.

a confused, excited state: to be in a twit about company coming.

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. 2020

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

Example sentences from the Web for twit

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