humorous
English
editEtymology
editFrom Middle English humorous (compare Medieval Latin hūmorōsus), equivalent to humor + -ous.
Pronunciation
edit- (UK) enPR: hyo͞o'mərəs, IPA(key): /ˈhjuːməɹəs/
Audio (UK): (file) - (US) IPA(key): /ˈhjuːməɹɪs/
- Rhymes: (UK) -uːməɹəs
- Homophone: humerus
Adjective
edithumorous (comparative more humorous, superlative most humorous)
- Full of humor or arousing laughter; funny.
- The waiters were so humorous - one even did a backflip for us, when we asked him.
- Showing humor; witty, jocular.
- (obsolete) Damp or watery.
- (obsolete) Dependent on or caused by one's humour or mood; capricious, whimsical.
- c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], lines 380-83:
- [S]uch is now the Duke's condition
That he misconstrues all that you have done.
The Duke is humorous; what he is, indeed,
More suits you to conceive than I to speak of.
- 1603, Michel de Montaigne, “Of the affection of fathers to their children”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, page 212:
- It is a melancholy humor […] that firſt put this humorous conceipt [translating resverie] of writing into my head.
- 1861, Elizabeth Gaskell, The Grey Woman:
- I felt at this time as if I could have been fond of him too, if he would have let me; but I was timid from my childhood, and before long my dread of his displeasure […] conquered my humorous inclination to love one who was so handsome, so accomplished, so indulgent and devoted.
Usage notes
editWhile the spelling humour is preferred over humor in British English, humorous is standard in both American and British English, and humourous is nonstandard.
Synonyms
edit- (arousing laughter): amusing, funny
- (witty): amusing, jocular, witty
- See also Thesaurus:funny
- See also Thesaurus:witty
Derived terms
editRelated terms
editTranslations
editfull of humor or arousing laughter; funny
|
showing humor; witty, jocular
|
Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms suffixed with -ous
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/uːməɹəs
- Rhymes:English/uːməɹəs/3 syllables
- English terms with homophones
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English terms with usage examples
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English terms with quotations
- en:Comedy