Dowcipny

Dowcipny is a Polish adjective describing something or someone characterized by wit or humor. It is used for a person with a quick, often refined sense of humor, as well as for remarks or observations that are cleverly witty. The term implies not only amusement but also perceptiveness or social acuity. In everyday language, dowcipny can modify nouns such as dowcipny człowiek, dowcipna uwaga, or dowcipna odpowiedź.

Etymology and nuance: the word derives from dowcip, meaning a witty remark or joke, with the adjectival suffix -ny, forming "witty, full of wit." Dowcipny sits between zabawny (funny) and żartobliwy (humorous in a jocular sense) and often signals a certain tact or intelligence in humor.

Morphology and usage: dowcipny declines like a typical Polish adjective: masculine singular dowcipny; feminine singular dowcipna; neuter singular dowcipne; plural dowcipni (masculine personal) and dowcipne (other genders). Examples: On jest dowcipnym człowiekiem. To była dowcipna odpowiedź. Mieliśmy dowcipną uwagę.

Related terms include dowcip (a witty remark or joke), zabawny (funny), żartobliwy (jocular), and humorystyczny (humorous).