Pronunciation: [wˈɪtləs] (IPA) 
The word "witless" is spelled with the phonetic transcription /ˈwɪtləs/. The first syllable "wit" is pronounced with a short "i" sound, followed by the "t" consonant. The second syllable "less" is pronounced with a schwa sound "ə" and ends with the double consonant "ss". "Witless" is an adjective used to describe someone who lacks intelligence or common sense. The spelling of the word accurately reflects its phonetic sounds.
Witless is an adjective that describes someone who lacks intelligence, understanding, or common sense. It is derived from the combination of the word "wit," meaning intelligence or mental sharpness, and the suffix "-less," which indicates the absence or lack of something.
When applied to a person, witless denotes a lack of cleverness, quickness of mind, or astuteness. It suggests a deficiency in judgment, perception, or reasoning abilities. A witless individual may struggle to comprehend complex ideas or display a great deal of naivety. They may also exhibit a lack of critical thinking skills or problem-solving capabilities.
In a broader context, witless can also refer to actions, statements, or situations that are senseless, foolish, or devoid of logic. It implies a lack of understanding or awareness, leading to actions or decisions that seem foolish or irrational to others.
Furthermore, witless can be used to describe things that lack creativity, originality, or ingenuity. In this sense, it communicates a deficiency in inventiveness or imaginative thinking.
Overall, an individual or situation described as witless is characterized by a dearth of intelligence, common sense, judgment, or creativity.
Destitute of wit or understanding; thoughtless; inconsiderate.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word witless originated in the late 14th century in Middle English as witles, which was formed by combining the word wit meaning knowledge, intelligence with the suffix -less meaning without. The Old English form of wit is witt, derived from the Proto-Germanic word witi- which means knowledge, intelligence, sense. Over time, witless has retained its meaning of lacking intelligence or understanding.
