jest vs wit

jest and wit both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
jest	Yes	No	Yes	No
wit	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, wit is a hypernym of jest; that is, wit is a word with a broader meaning than jest:

jest: a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
wit: a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter

Other hypernyms of jest include humor, humour, witticism, wittiness.

jest (noun)	wit (noun)
activity characterized by good humor	mental ability
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter	a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
	a witty amusing person who makes jokes

jest (verb)	wit (verb)
act in a funny or teasing way
tell a joke; speak humorously