jocular
English edit
Etymology edit
From Latin iocularis, from ioculus (“a little jest”), diminutive of iocus (“a jest”).
Pronunciation edit
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈd͡ʒɒkjʊlə/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈd͡ʒɑkjəlɚ/
Audio (US) (file) Audio (AU) (file)
Adjective edit
jocular (comparative more jocular, superlative most jocular)
- Humorous, amusing or joking.
- He was in a jocular mood all day.
- All we had was a short and jocular conversation.
- 1865, Horatio Alger, “chapter IV”, in 'Paul Prescott's Charge:
- From the tone of the speaker, the last words might be understood to be jocular.
- 1896, H. G. Wells, “chapter 15”, in The Island of Dr. Moreau:
- Sometimes he would notice it, pat it, call it half-mocking, half-jocular names, and so make it caper with extraordinary delight.
- 1910, Stephen Leacock, The Awful Fate of Melpomenus Jones:
- Then papa began to get very tired of Jones, and fidgeted and finally said, with jocular irony, that Jones had better stay all night, they could give him a shake-down.
Synonyms edit
- (humorous): jokey, silly, joculous; see also Thesaurus:witty
Antonyms edit
Derived terms edit
Derived terms
Related terms edit
Translations edit
humorous, amusing, joking
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Further reading edit
- “jocular”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “jocular”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “jocular”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.