wit vs jest

wit and jest both are nouns.

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

As nouns, jest is a hyponym of wit; that is, jest is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than wit:

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

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

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