wits

Wits is the plural of wit, referring to a person’s mental faculties, intelligence, and capacity for quick, clever thinking. In common usage, phrases like “to have one’s wits about one” describe staying alert and capable of sound judgment, while “to lose one’s wits” can indicate a temporary loss of composure or reason. Wits can also denote cleverness or a form of humor that relies on quick, witty expression. The word derives from Old English witt, linked to knowledge and understanding, and has cognates in other Germanic languages.

Wits, in capitalized form, commonly refers to the University of the Witwatersrand, a public research university in Johannesburg, South Africa. Founded in 1896 as the South African School of Mines and Technology, it evolved into University College and later the University of the Witwatersrand in 1922. The main campuses are in Braamfontein and Parktown. The university offers programs across faculties including science, engineering, medicine and health sciences, humanities, commerce, and law. It is recognized for its research output and contributions to science, medicine, and social sciences, and has played a prominent role in South Africa’s higher education landscape and political history.