- Today's Word
Whet
Whet
whet
Definition
(verb) To sharpen or stimulate; to make more keen or eager.
Example
The suspenseful trailer only whetted the audience’s appetite for the full movie.
Word Origin
From Old English hwettan, meaning “to sharpen” or “excite.”
Fun Fact
Though often confused with “wet,” whet has nothing to do with water—it’s about sharpening or arousing. A whetstone sharpens blades, and something that whets your appetite makes you eager for more. The word survives mostly in this idiomatic sense, a linguistic echo of its physical origin. In both uses, whet describes that moment of anticipation or readiness—when the edge is honed, but the action hasn’t yet begun.
