der Witz
Translation
joke, gag, quip, wit
Examples
Er hat einen guten Witz erzählt.
He told a good joke.
Das ist doch ein Witz!
That's a joke!
Grammar Patterns
to tell ((a joke)) He tells a good joke.
Similar Words
der Scherz (joke, prank), der Spaß (fun)
Etymology
From Old High German 'wizzi' (knowledge, understanding), related to English 'wit'. The meaning shifted from 'clever saying' to 'joke'.
Memory Tips
Think of someone with a lot of 'wit' telling a 'Witz' (joke).