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  • wight
    wight
    noun
    a human being.
  • Wight
    Wight
    noun
    Isle of, an island off the S coast of England, forming an administrative division of Hampshire. 147 sq. mi. (381 sq. km). Newport.
Synonyms

wight

1 American  
[wahyt] / waɪt /

noun

  1. a human being.

  2. Obsolete.

    1. a supernatural being, as a witch or sprite.

    2. any living being; a creature.

wight 2 American  
[wahyt] / waɪt /

adjective

British Dialect.

  1. strong and brave, especially in war.

  2. active; nimble.

Wight 3 American  
[wahyt] / waɪt /

noun

  1. Isle of, an island off the S coast of England, forming an administrative division of Hampshire. 147 sq. mi. (381 sq. km). Newport.

Wight 1 British  
/ waɪt /

noun

  1. an island and county of S England in the English Channel. Administrative centre: Newport. Pop: 136 300 (2003 est). Area: 380 sq km (147 sq miles)

"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
wight 2 British  
/ waɪt /

noun

  1. archaic a human being

"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
wight 3 British  
/ waɪt /

adjective

  1. archaic strong and brave; valiant

"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

Etymology

Origin of wight1

before 900; Middle English, Old English wiht; cognate with German Wicht, Old Norse vēttr, Gothic waiht

Origin of wight2

1175–1225; Middle English < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse vīgt, neuter of vīgr able to fight

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It's Mr Dooley, Mr Dooley, The wisest wight our country ever knew 'Poor Europe ambles Like sheep to shambles' Sighs Mr Dooley-ooley-ooley-oo.

From Salon • Feb. 1, 2022

Come the spring, I’m off to either Brownsea Island or the Isle of wight and will report back.

From The Guardian • Feb. 7, 2020

Drogon is injured and Dany fends for herself; as a wight descends, faithful Jorah chops its head off.

From The New Yorker • Apr. 29, 2019

Last week they helped capture a decaying wight as proof that the threat was real.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 28, 2017

"I don't ken. A wight wi' long, dark hair and a pointy beard."

From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.