wis

See also: Appendix:Variations of "wis"

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /waɪs/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪs

Alternative forms

• wiss, ywis, iwis

Etymology 1

Inherited from Middle English wis (“certain, sure”), from an aphetic form of Middle English iwis, ywis (“certain, sure”) (from Old English ġewiss (“certain, sure”)), or of North Germanic origin, cognate with Icelandic viss (“certain, sure”), Dutch gewis (“certain, sure”), and German gewiss (“certain, sure”). Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *gawissaz. More at iwis.

Adverb

wis (comparative more wis, superlative most wis)

1. (rare, obsolete or dialectal) Certainly, surely.
   • 1884, Charlotte Mary Yonge, The armourer's prentices:

     So I wis would the Dragon under him […]

2. (rare, obsolete or dialectal) Really, truly.
3. (rare, obsolete or dialectal) Indeed.
   • c. 1368-1372, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Book of the Duchess:

     As wis God help me.

Derived terms

• I wis

 

Adjective

wis (comparative more wis, superlative most wis)

1. (rare, obsolete or dialectal) Certain.
2. (rare, obsolete or dialectal) Sure.

   He was wis on his word.

   I am wis that it will happen.

Derived terms

• wisly

Etymology 2

From an incorrect division, mistaking iwis (“certain”) for I wis (“I know”). See ywis for more information. The German verb wissen may appear similar, but in fact corresponds etymologically to the English verb wit; both of those verbs ultimately descend from the same Proto-Indo-European root as this one.

Verb

wis (third-person singular simple present wis, no present participle, no simple past, past participle wist or wissed)

1. (obsolete or archaic) To know.
   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ix]:

     "The fire seven times tried this: / Seven times tried that judgement is, / That did never choose amiss. / Some there be that shadows kiss: / Such have but a shadow's bliss. / There be fools alive, I wis, / Silver'd o'er; and so was this. / I will ever be your head: / So be gone: you are sped."

2. (obsolete or archaic) To think, suppose.
   • 1850, Robert Browning, “(please specify the page)”, in Christmas-Eve and Easter-Day. A Poem, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC:

     Howe'er you wis.

3. (obsolete or archaic) To imagine, ween; to deem.
   • 1889, Harriet McEwen Kimball, Poems, "In the Garden":

     And oh, that I should see that star remote / Yet His near Glory miss / Whereto the sun itself and stars do float / As motes, I wis!

   • 1797, S[amuel] T[aylor] Coleridge, “Christabel. Part I.”, in Christabel: Kubla Khan, a Vision: The Pains of Sleep, London: […] John Murray, […], by William Bulmer and Co. […], published 1816, →OCLC, page 8:

     As sure as Heaven shall rescue me, / I have no thought what men they be; / Nor do I know how long it is / (For I have lain in fits, I wis) […]

Anagrams

• WSI

Afrikaans

Verb

wis

1. preterite of weet; knew

Chuukese

Noun

wis

1. duty, responsibility

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʋɪs/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪs

Etymology 1

Derived from Proto-Germanic *wissaz, past participle of *witaną. See gewis.

Adjective

wis (not comparable)

1. sure, certain

   een wisse dood — a certain death

Declension

Declension of wis
uninflected	wis
inflected	wisse
comparative	—
		positive
predicative/adverbial		wis
indefinite	m./f. sing.	wisse
	n. sing.	wis
	plural	wisse
definite		wisse
partitive		wis

Descendants

• Afrikaans: wis

Etymology 2

Inherited from Middle Dutch wisch, from Old Dutch *wisk, from Proto-Germanic *wiskaz (“bundle of straw, hay”).

Noun

wis f or m (plural wissen, diminutive wisje n)

1. twig
2. bundle, bunch
3. short for wisdoek (dishcloth)

Etymology 3

Verb

wis

1. inflection of wissen:
   1. first-person singular present indicative
   2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
   3. imperative

Gothic

Romanization

wis

1. Romanization of 𐍅𐌹𐍃

Javanese

Romanization

wis

1. Romanization of ꦮꦶꦱ꧀

Kabyle

Particle

wis (feminine tis)

1. -th, forms ordinal numerals by preceding a cardinal numeral

   ‎wis (“-th”) + ‎kraḍ (“three”) → ‎wis kraḍ (“third”)

   ‎wis (“-th”) + ‎xemsa (“five”) → ‎wis xemsa (“fifth”)

Usage notes

• The particle agrees in gender with its associated noun. If this noun is feminine, the particle has a feminine form tis.
• The particle may be used before both native Kabyle numerals and Arabic-derived numerals.
• The particle is not used before yiwen (“one”). The adjective amezwaru (“first”) is used instead of such an ordinal.

Old Dutch

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Germanic *wīsaz, from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to see, to know”).

Adjective

wīs

1. wise

Inflection

Declension of wīs

Strong declension
	masculine		neuter		feminine
	singular	plural	singular	plural	singular	plural
nominative	wīs	wīse	wīs	wīse	wīs	wīsu
accusative	wīsan	wīse	wīs	wīse	wīsa	wīsu
genitive	wīsis	wīsro	wīsis	wīsro	wīsro	wīsrō
dative	wīson	wīson	wīson	wīson	wīsro	wīson
Weak declension
	masculine		neuter		feminine
	singular	plural	singular	plural	singular	plural
nominative	wīso	wīsu	wīsa	wīsu	wīsa	wīsu
accusative	wīsin	wīsin	wīsa	wīsin	wīsin	wīsin
genitive	wīsin	wīsno	wīsin	wīsno	wīsin	wīsno
dative	wīsin	wīson	wīsin	wīson	wīsin	wīson

Descendants

• Middle Dutch: wijs

Further reading

• “wīs”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old English

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Germanic *wīsaz, from Proto-Indo-European *weydstos (“knowledgeable”), an extension of *weyd- (“to see, to know”). Akin to Old High German wīs and Old Norse víss.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wiːs/

Adjective

wīs (comparative wīsra, superlative wīsest)

1. wise
   • 10th century, The Wanderer:

     forþon ne mæġ wearþan wīs · wer, ǣr hē āge
     wintra dǣl in woruldrīċe. · Wita sċeal ġeþyldiġ.

     thus a man cannot become wise, before he would own
     a part of years in world-kingdom. A wise man must be patient.

Declension

Declension of wīs — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	wīs	wīs	wīs
Accusative	wīsne	wīse	wīs
Genitive	wīses	wīsre	wīses
Dative	wīsum	wīsre	wīsum
Instrumental	wīse	wīsre	wīse
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	wīse	wīsa, wīse	wīs
Accusative	wīse	wīsa, wīse	wīs
Genitive	wīsra	wīsra	wīsra
Dative	wīsum	wīsum	wīsum
Instrumental	wīsum	wīsum	wīsum

Declension of wīs — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	wīsa	wīse	wīse
Accusative	wīsan	wīsan	wīse
Genitive	wīsan	wīsan	wīsan
Dative	wīsan	wīsan	wīsan
Instrumental	wīsan	wīsan	wīsan
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	wīsan	wīsan	wīsan
Accusative	wīsan	wīsan	wīsan
Genitive	wīsra, wīsena	wīsra, wīsena	wīsra, wīsena
Dative	wīsum	wīsum	wīsum
Instrumental	wīsum	wīsum	wīsum

Derived terms

• andwīs
• stæfwīs
• unwīs
• wīslīċe
• wīsnes

 

Descendants

• Middle English: wis, wys
  • Scots: wis, wise
  • English: wise
    • ⇒ English: wizard

Old High German

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Germanic *wīsaz, from Proto-Indo-European *weydstos (“knowledgeable”), an extension of *weyd- (“to see, to know”). Akin to Old English wīs and Old Norse víss.

Adjective

wīs

1. wise

Derived terms

• wīso

Descendants

• Middle High German: wīse
  • German: weise
• ⇒ Old High German: wīsi

Old Saxon

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Germanic *wīsaz, from Proto-Indo-European *weydstos (“knowledgeable”), an extension of *weyd- (“to see, to know”). Akin to Old English wīs, Old High German wīs and Old Norse víss.

Adjective

wīs

1. wise

Declension

Positive forms of wis

Strong declension
gender	masculine		feminine		neuter
case	singular	plural	singular	plural	singular	plural
nominative	wis	wise, wisa	wis	wisa	wis	wis, wisa
accusative	wisan, wisen	wisa, wise	wisa	wisa	wis	wis, wisa
genitive	wises, wisas	wisaro, wisoro, wisero	wisara, wisaro	wisaro, wisoro, wisero	wises, wisas	wisaro, wisoro, wisero
dative	wisumu, wisum, wisun, wisun, wison, wisen, wisan	wisun, wison, wisum	wisaro, wisaru, wisara	wisun, wison	wisumu, wisum, wisun, wisun, wison, wisen, wisan	wisun, wison, wisum
Weak declension
gender	masculine		feminine		neuter
case	singular	plural	singular	plural	singular	plural
nominative	wiso, wisa	wison, wisun	wisa, wise	wison, wisun, wisan	wisa, wise	wison, wisun
accusative	wison, wisan	wison, wisun	wisun, wison, wisan	wison, wisun, wisan	wisa, wise	wison, wisun
genitive	wisen, wisan	wisono, wiseno	wisun, wisan, wisen	wisono	wisen, wisan	wisono, wiseno
dative	wison, wisen, wisan	wison, wisun	wisun, wisan	wison, wisun	wison, wisen, wisan	wison, wisun

Comparative forms of wis (weak only)

Weak declension
gender	masculine		feminine		neuter
case	singular	plural	singular	plural	singular	plural
nominative	wisoro, wisora	wisoron, wisorun	wisora, wisore	wisoron, wisorun, wisoran	wisora, wisore	wisoron, wisorun
accusative	wisoron, wisoran	wisoron, wisorun	wisorun, wisoron, wisoran	wisoron, wisorun, wisoran	wisora, wisore	wisoron, wisorun
genitive	wisoren, wisoran	wisorono, wisoreno	wisorun, wisoran, wisoren	wisorono	wisoren, wisoran	wisorono, wisoreno
dative	wisoron, wisoren, wisoran	wisoron, wisorun	wisorun, wisoran	wisoron, wisorun	wisoron, wisoren, wisoran	wisoron, wisorun

Superlative forms of wis

Strong declension
gender	masculine		feminine		neuter
case	singular	plural	singular	plural	singular	plural
nominative	wisost	wisoste, wisosta	wisost	wisosta	wisost	wisost, wisosta
accusative	wisostan, wisosten	wisosta, wisoste	wisosta	wisosta	wisost	wisost, wisosta
genitive	wisostes, wisostas	wisostaro, wisostoro, wisostero	wisostara, wisostaro	wisostaro, wisostoro, wisostero	wisostes, wisostas	wisostaro, wisostoro, wisostero
dative	wisostumu, wisostum, wisostun, wisostun, wisoston, wisosten, wisostan	wisostun, wisoston, wisostum	wisostaro, wisostaru, wisostara	wisostun, wisoston	wisostumu, wisostum, wisostun, wisostun, wisoston, wisosten, wisostan	wisostun, wisoston, wisostum
Weak declension
gender	masculine		feminine		neuter
case	singular	plural	singular	plural	singular	plural
nominative	wisosto, wisosta	wisoston, wisostun	wisosta, wisoste	wisoston, wisostun, wisostan	wisosta, wisoste	wisoston, wisostun
accusative	wisoston, wisostan	wisoston, wisostun	wisostun, wisoston, wisostan	wisoston, wisostun, wisostan	wisosta, wisoste	wisoston, wisostun
genitive	wisosten, wisostan	wisostono, wisosteno	wisostun, wisostan, wisosten	wisostono	wisosten, wisostan	wisostono, wisosteno
dative	wisoston, wisosten, wisostan	wisoston, wisostun	wisostun, wisostan	wisoston, wisostun	wisoston, wisosten, wisostan	wisoston, wisostun

Descendants

• Middle Low German: wīs
  • Low German:
    • German Low German: wies
    • Westphalian:

      Ravensbergisch-Lippisch: wuise, wuis

      Sauerländisch: weyse, wüse, wīse, wuise

      Westmünsterländisch: wiese

  • Plautdietsch: weis

Scots

Etymology

Compare West Frisian wie.

Verb

wis

1. simple past tense of be

Usage notes

Wis is used with singular pronouns and plural nouns, and wis, war or wir are used with plural pronouns.

See also

• wir

Tagalog

Alternative forms

• wiz, wit

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈwis/ [ˈwis]
• Rhymes: -is
• Syllabification: wis

Pronoun

wis (Baybayin spelling ᜏᜒᜐ᜔)

1. (gay slang) Alternative form of was

West Frisian

Etymology

See witte (“to know, be sure”). Cognate with English wis.

Adjective

wis

1. certain, sure
2. true
3. safe, trustworthy

Inflection

Inflection of wis
uninflected	wis
inflected	wisse
comparative	wisser
		positive	comparative	superlative
predicative/adverbial		wis	wisser	it wist it wiste
indefinite	c. sing.	wisse	wissere	wiste
	n. sing.	wis	wisser	wiste
	plural	wisse	wissere	wiste
definite		wisse	wissere	wiste
partitive		wis	wissers	—

Derived terms

• jawis

Further reading

• “wis (I)”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011