Meanings
adjectiveoverwise (comparative more overwise, superlative most overwise)
comparative more overwise · superlative most overwise · alternative over wise
- Excessively wise; too clever for one's own good.
“Perkins? Bless you, Perkins wouldn’t go a-nigh the place. No!” observed the young man, with considerable feeling; “he ain’t overwise, ain’t Perkins, but he ain’t such a fool as that.”
1859, Charles Dickens, The Haunted House
Origin
- Middle Englishovere-wyse
- Englishoverwise
From Middle English overe-wyse, over wise, equivalent to over- + wise.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
overwise. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overwise
MLA
“overwise.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overwise. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “overwise,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overwise.
Source: overwise on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.