Pronunciation: [wˈɪzənd] (IPA) 
The word "wizened" is spelled with a "z" instead of an "s" due to its roots in Middle English and Old High German. The IPA phonetic transcription for "wizened" is /ˈwɪz.ənd/, with the "z" sound represented by the symbol "z" and the "e" sound represented by the symbol "ə". The definition of "wizened" is to become wrinkled or shriveled with age, and it is commonly used to describe an elderly person's appearance.
Wizened is an adjective that describes someone or something as being shriveled, wrinkled, or dried out, often due to age. This term is derived from the Old English word "wisian," which means to dry up or wither. Generally, it is used to refer to a person's physical appearance, suggesting a haggard or elderly individual whose face and body show signs of the passage of time.
When applied to people, wizened typically implies a person of advanced age whose physical features have become diminished or gaunt. It suggests a state of weariness or fatigue, potentially highlighting the challenges and experiences that an individual has gone through over the years. It can also be associated with a sense of wisdom acquired through a lifetime of experiences.
Beyond describing a person's appearance, wizened can also be used metaphorically to describe an object, such as a weathered tree or an old book, which has undergone significant changes or has been exposed to harsh conditions, resulting in a shrunken or withered appearance. In essence, wizened encapsulates the idea of something or someone that has aged gracefully, and through the physical changes, has gained character and significance.
Dried up; shrivelled.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "wizened" is derived from the Middle English word "wisened", which means "to become wise or knowledgeable". It comes from the verb "wise", meaning to become or make wise. The word "wise" originally came from the Old English word "wīs", which meant "experienced, skilled, or adept". Over time, "wisened" took on the meaning of something becoming shrunken or withered, which is the sense it carries today.
