adj
Meaning 1
Certain.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal, obsolete, rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
wis
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
-
/waɪs/
-
US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
-
rhymes with -aɪs
-
CMU ARPABET: W IH1 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
adj
Meaning 2
Sure.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal, obsolete, rare
Examples
- He was wis on his word.
- I am wis that it will happen.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adv
Meaning 3
Certainly, surely.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal, obsolete, rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adv
Meaning 4
Really, truly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal, obsolete, rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adv
Meaning 5
Indeed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal, obsolete, rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
Abbreviation of wisdom point.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, uncountable
Qualifier: roleplaying games
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 7
To know.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, no-past, no-present-participle, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 8
To think, suppose.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, no-past, no-present-participle, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 9
To imagine, ween; to deem.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, no-past, no-present-participle, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
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.
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.