It means with respect to, or concerning the attached word. So a «point-wise [based] algorithm» is one with respect to points. A class-wise [based] algorithm is one that operates with respect to a class (as opposed to, for example, a person-wise algorithm which would operated based on individuals within the class.)
I put [based] in brackets because I think it is redundant in these phrases. It is implied by the -wise suffix. The phrases «point-wise algorithm, or «class-wise algorithm» are both perfectly clear without the extra word.
Perhaps an example: in the United States the President is elected by an electoral college, where each state gets a certain number of votes and (generally speaking) the candidate with the most votes in a state wins ALL the votes for that state. Then the actual president is chosen as the person with the most electoral votes. Some people think that is wrong, that the person who gets the most votes overall should win. For example, President Trump won the most electoral votes in 2016, whereas Hillary Clinton got the most individual votes.
So the US uses a state-wise electoral system, which, in 2016 gave Trump the Presidency, but if it had used an individual-wise electoral system, in 2016 Hillary Clinton would have become President.
Here is what the Grammarist says about it:
-wise is a suffix that is attached to a noun with a hyphen to form an adjective or adverb that means with respect to or concerning, in the
manner of or in the direction of. Some words with the suffix -wise
have dropped the hyphen and been accepted into English usage. Examples
are clockwise, which means the direction in which the hands of a clock
travel and lengthwise, meaning parallel with an item’s length. Coined
words such as security-wise and price-wise are effective in conveying
their meaning, but are not considered Standard English.
Using suffixes correctly is a great way to increase your English vocabulary. This post will teach you how to use the suffix -wise with lots of natural examples.
The Suffix -wise
1) in adjectives and adverbs = in the manner or direction of
・Turn the handle clockwise. (Turn the handle in the same direction that a clock turns.)
2) (informal) relating to
・We’re okay money-wise for now. (Relating to issues of money, we are okay. We have enough.)
Keep reading for lots more helpful tips on the suffix -wise plus a video and free printable PDF download. Work on this suffix anytime offline.
Table of Contents
- The Adjective WISE meaning
- Adverbs and Adjectives – in the manner or direction of
- Adverbs and Adjectives – (informal) relating to
- Suffix -WISE Honorable Mentions
- Can WISE be a Prefix?
- The Suffix -WISE Conclusion
- 5-Page Suffix -WISE PDF Download
The Adjective WISE meaning
All definitions listed in this blog post come from Oxford Learner’s Dictionary dot com.
wise adjective
able to make sensible decisions and give good advice because of the experience and knowledge that you have (comparative wiser, superlative wisest)
- Dan is very clever for a teenager. He is wise beyond his years.
- It’s not wise to disturb a hornet’s nest.
wise verb – OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
Wise is also used as a verb in the phrasal verb wise up.
wise up (to something)
(informal) to become aware of the unpleasant truth about a situation
- The mayor made a lot of empty promises and citizens are finally starting to wise up to the fact that he can’t be trusted.
- Leon thinks his knee has healed from the injury and is ready to play rugby again. He better wise up and stay in rehab for a few more weeks or risk doing permanent damage.
wise-up phrasal verb – OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
Adverbs and Adjectives – in the manner or direction of
#1. in the manner or direction of
– likewise
– clockwise
Below is a list of common adverbs and adjectives that use the suffix -WISE. You will find the word’s definition and some helpful example sentences.
clockwise adverb, adjective
moving around in the same direction as the hands of a clock
- Push the handle in and turn it clockwise to lock the door.
- Sheep in China have been walking in a clockwise circle for 12 days. A video of the sheep has gone viral.
counterclockwise adverb, adjective (North American English)
in the opposite direction to the movement of the hands of a clock
(British English anticlockwise)
- Air currents traveling counterclockwise over the warm water from the lake will bring rain to local communities this weekend.
- Turn the lid counterclockwise to open the jar.
streetwise adjective (North American English also street-smart)
having the knowledge and experience that is needed to deal with the difficulties and dangers of life in a big city
- I always went downtown with Derek. He was tough and very streetwise so I always felt safe.
- The rookie cop was partnered with a streetwise veteran.
lengthwise adverb (especially in North American English)
in the same direction as the longest side of something
- Cut the banana in half lengthwise to make a banana split.
- The recipe says to cut the leeks lengthwise before adding them to the pot.
otherwise adverb
used to state what the result would be if something did not happen or if the situation were different
- I went to the party because I knew Stephanie would be there. The only reason I went was to see her, I wouldn’t have gone otherwise. None of my friends were at the party.
Know different/otherwise
(informal) to have information or evidence that the opposite is true
- She says she is not angry about what her coworker said, but I know otherwise.
- She says she is not angry about what her coworker said, but I know different.
crosswise adverb
across, especially from one corner to the opposite one
- You need to fold the flag crosswise before you pack it in its case.
- I made an origami rooster this morning. It took me an hour, there were many crosswise folds that had to be perfect.
The origami looks great but it took me a long time!
widthwise (especially in North American English) adverb
along the width and not the length
- It’s a nice-looking chair but I don’t think it will fit in my office width-wise. My office is quite narrow and my desk is wide so I need a smaller chair.
penny-wise adjective
wise or prudent only in dealing with small sums or matters LINK
Penny-wise and pound-foolish – Smart and thrifty with small amounts of money, but wasteful with large amounts.
- Doug has a hard time managing his finances. He is careful when buying groceries and clothes, always looking for deals, but he overpaid for his car. He is penny-wise and pound-foolish.
Pennywise the Dancing Clown is the main villain from the horror story “IT” by Steven King. The story was made into a TV Mini-Series in 1990 and 2 feature films. First in 2017 and the sequel It Chapter Two in 2019.
likewise adverb (formal)
the same; in a similar way
- My teacher looked at the classroom with his arms crossed, this meant that we were being too noisy. The first row of students sat in silence and soon everyone did likewise.
- I stared at my opponent quite intensely, and he did likewise.
worldly-wise adjective
having a lot of experience of life and therefore not easily shocked
- The new president was confident and worldly-wise. People believed in him.
- The country hoped that with a new experienced and worldly-wise head coach, the team could qualify for the next World Cup.
Adverbs and Adjectives – (informal) relating to
#2. (informal) relating to
- Things aren’t too good business-wise.
This use of the suffix -WISE is quite free, you can add it to almost any noun and be understood.
Money-wise means relating to money, weather-wise means relating to the weather, attendance-wise means relating to an event’s attendance for example.
Words like this are quite informal but not uncommon.
The suffix -wise can be added to a large number of words in the sense of ‘referring to’ or ‘speaking of’.
SOURCE
- The company picnic is scheduled for next Sunday and we have reserved a small park. Things look good weather-wise, I’m just worried that people can find the park easily.
(Relating to the weather, things look good. We will have good weather for our picnic.)
- The team has been filling the stadium recently, we are hitting all our targets attendance-wise.
(Relating to game attendance, the team is meeting its goals.)
- We’re okay money-wise for now.
- (Relating to issues of money, we are okay for now. We have enough.)
The Suffix -ISH and the Suffix -Y can also be used with a large number of words to make adjectives out of nouns. You can learn more about those common Suffixes here:
- Your complete guide to the Suffix -ISH (Quiz/worksheet) with Video
- Learn The English Suffix -Y (60 examples + Free PDF download) with Video
My spelling and grammar checking software Grammarly prefers to write moneywise with a hyphen (-) money-wise. When the suffix WISE is added to words in this way it is common to write them with a hyphen. Grammarly saves me a lot of time when writing English blog posts, and it’s FREE. You can try Grammarly for yourself HERE.
Suffix -WISE Honorable Mentions
These four words have definitions in Oxford Learners Dictionaries dot com but they are very rare. I almost never hear them and I never use them myself.
However, these are real words so I wanted to include them in this list.
crabwise adverb (of a movement)
to the side, like a crab
- The alien creature burst through the door and started running crabwise across the room. The alien was creepy.
edgewise (especially in North American English) adverb
with the edge upwards or forwards; on one side
- The big chair will only fit through the door if we turn it edgeways.
endwise (especially in North American English) adverb (of an object)
with one end facing up, forwards, or towards the person who is looking at it
- We had to turn the table endwise to fit it in the trunk of my car.
stepwise adjective
in a series of steps, rather than continuously
- There are many factors causing this skin condition. Treatment requires a stepwise process.
Can WISE be a Prefix?
No. Wise can be used as a suffix but not a prefix. This can be confusing because there are few compound words that use wise as the root word but not as a prefix.
Look at the three examples below.
wisecrack to make a clever remark or joke
- The TV show is about a streetwise cop and his wisecracking partner.
wisecrack_verb OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
wisecrack a clever remark or joke
- Nelson made several wisecracks during dinner, which had everyone laughing.
wisecrack_noun OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
wiseacre a person who is annoying because they are very confident and think they know a lot (*NOTE – This is an older expression that was mostly used in North America.)
- Just be quiet for a minute and listen you little wiseacre.
wiseacre noun OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
The Suffix -WISE Conclusion
The Suffix -WISE is a useful suffix to learn that means in the manner or direction of and we can also use it quite freely to change nouns into adjectives that mean “relating to” the noun it is attached to.
This is a suffix you will probably hear more than you will use, that’s okay. This is the first step to mastering English communication.
Can you think of any other -WISE words that I left off the list? Please tell me in the comments.
Download your printable PDF E-guide below. (It’s FREE!) PDFs contain the live links from the posts.↓
Check out these other great Prefix and Suffix posts.
Vocabulary: Adding ‘wise’ to make adverbs from nouns
Intermediate to advanced level (B2-A2)
It is useful to have a rather informal way to express ‘concerning’ or ‘relating to’ which we can use in speech and writing. You take a noun and add ‘wise’, often with a ‘-‘. Some are more common than others. Let’s look at a few:
Talking about your future career, you could say:
Career-wise, I’m not sure it’s best to stay in this job too long. What do you think?
Talking about the weather, you could say:
Weather-wise, it looks a bit unpredictable. I’m going to take a coat.
Health
He’s not great, health-wise.
Sound
Sound-wise, the piece (of music) reminds me of Beethoven.
Colour
Colour-wise, I don’t think the room looks right.
Other uses of ‘wise’:
Direction:
Turn it anticlockwise to open.
Cut the carrots lengthwise (or lengthways)
Similarity:
That’s a good idea. I’ll do likewise.
Wise is often used as a suffix in spoken English; actually, it seems to be one of those “magic” versatile words that are used in a lot of different contexts, like our dearest friend “get” 🙂 But…what does it mean? How is it used? And… is its use always acceptable?
First of all, I have used the word suffix to define –wise. A suffix is basically an ending which is placed at the end of a word. This ending carries a meaning. Let’s use the suffix -LY as an example:
-LY = something that happens or is done in an X way, where X is the word –LY is “attached” to
X+LY = QUICKLY = in a quick way; COMPLETELY = in a complete way; CAREFULLY = in a careful way… and so on…
-WISE (you can find its etymology here) works in the same way, but it carries two meanings:
1) in the direction of X, in the manner of X
X = CLOCK –> X+WISE = CLOCKWISE = moving like the hands of a clock (i.e.: from left to right)
e.g.: Play doesn’t go clockwise in Poker!
2) with regards to X, as far as X is concerned
X = FOOD –> X+WISE = FOOD-WISE = with regards to food, as far as food is concerned
X = MONEY –> X+WISE = MONEY-WISE = with regards to money
e.g.: Food-wise that new pub is not bad at all, but price-wise...
I like my new job, but I’m looking for something different money-wise
The first meaning is the oldest one. You can notice it from the very fact that there is no hyphen (-) between the word (clock) and its ending (wise), meaning that these words have become fixed expressions. Other examples could be otherwise or likewise.
The second meaning is more informal and should not be used in formal writing because it is generally not accepted style-wise 🙂. You may also find some of these compound nouns spelt without the hyphen (e.g.: moneywise), but I would venture to say that this depends pretty much on the standard the word has achieved in usage: has it been used a lot before?
As a suffix meaning “with regards to”, –wise is used a lot, sometimes indiscriminately, especially by native speakers. In writing, it should be avoided and used only in very informal texts (e.g.: a letter to a close friend or a text message). Being informal and colloquial, it should be limited to speaking, but also in this case try to avoid excesses (a couple of words, no more than that in the same dialogue), because having too many words ending in –wise may sound awkward conversation-wise 😉
Asked by: Prof. Abel Gottlieb V
Score: 4.1/5
(63 votes)
adverb. In terms of work; as far as work is concerned.
Is work wise a word?
Workwise meaning
In terms of work.
How do you use work wise in a sentence?
workwise
- It’s a dark time workwise, and yet a very light and lovely time in all other respects. …
- «He’s kind of in the same world workwise that I was in,» she said.
What’s the meaning of work wise?
adverb. In terms of work; as far as work is concerned.
How do you use the word wise?
Wise sentence example
- I made a wise choice. …
- Sarah studied the situation with wise eyes. …
- I don’t think it’s wise at all. …
- I had taken to heart the words of the wise Roman who said, «To be banished from Rome is but to live outside of Rome.» …
- He was a brave soldier and a wise teacher.
39 related questions found
How do you spell work wise?
adverb. In terms of work; as far as work is concerned.
When you add Wise to a word?
-wise is a suffix that is attached to a noun with a hyphen to form an adjective or adverb that means with respect to or concerning, in the manner of or in the direction of. Some words with the suffix -wise have dropped the hyphen and been accepted into English usage.
Is school wise a word?
By or in terms of school.
What does personality wise mean?
It means «in terms of personality» or «due to personality». For example, if you and a friend are talking and your friend says, «I don’t like that man personality-wise», it means your friend doesn’t like him due to his personality. See a translation.
What does face wise mean?
facewise (not comparable) By means of or in terms of the face.
What does relationship wise meaning?
Relationship-wise = relating to relationships. «Wise» can be added to almost any noun, at least colloquially (not a good idea for formal papers/letters).
What does it mean when someone says something wise?
The adjective wise describes someone who has experience and a deep understanding. Your wise older sister always gives the best advice. When you make a decision based on careful thought and good judgment, you’ve made a wise choice.
Is personality wise a word?
In terms of personality.
What does the suffix wise mean?
The suffix –wise is a versatile one. Apart from some fixed expressions where it means ‘in the direction of‘, e.g. lengthwise, clockwise, anti-clockwise and useful function words such as likewise and otherwise, the suffix -wise can be added to a large number of words in the sense of ‘referring to’ or ‘speaking of’.
What does appearance wise mean?
These words with -wise on the end of them mean «in relation to, in the area of». When they say that she is «revisiting her past appearance-wise» they mean that she looks like she used to in the past.
What does school wide mean?
Definitions of schoolwide. adjective. occurring or extending throughout a school. “schoolwide support for the team” Synonyms: comprehensive, overarching.
Can I use Wise?
Yes, the Wise app is available for both Android and Apple devices. The app is fully featured and well-reviewed, scoring 4.4 (Android) and 4.8 (Apple) out of 5. The app is very easy to use and you can make transfers, access your Borderless Account, and manage your Wise debit card.
What is the prefixes of Wise?
Explanation: The word wise does not have a prefix. A prefix is added to and modifies a root word. In this case wise is the root word.
Where we can use Wise?
You can use your Wise card to make online payments, too. For some online payments, you’ll be asked to approve the payment from your Wise app, or by using a code sent by SMS or call. This is called a 3D Secure (3DS) online payment and is an added level of security some websites ask for.
What are the 4 types of personality?
A large new study published in Nature Human Behavior, however, provides evidence for the existence of at least four personality types: average, reserved, self-centered and role model.
What is the plural of personality?
personality. noun. per·son·al·i·ty. plural personalities.
What means modeling?
Modeling involves making a representation of something. Creating a tiny, functioning volcano is an example of modeling. Teachers use modeling when they have a class election that represents a larger one, like a presidential election. Modeling is anything that represents something else, usually on a smaller scale.
Does wise mean smart?
Smart refers to having or showing a quick-witted intelligence. Wise refers to having or showing experience, knowledge, and good judgment.
Who is called wise?
1 : a man of unusual learning, judgment, or insight : sage. 2 : a man versed in esoteric lore (as of magic or astrology) especially : magus sense 1b. Wiseman. biographical name. Wise·man | ˈwīz-mən
What are some wise words?
19 Wise Quotes for a Better Life
- Be confident in yourself. “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.” — …
- Always be looking forward. “You can never plan the future by the past.” — …
- Live a life of purpose. …
- Be brave. …
- Use your time wisely. …
- Value yourself for who you are. …
- Hone your skills. …
- Keep your head up.