humorous

¹

[hyoo-mer-uhs, yoo-]

adjective

1. characterized by humor; funny; comical.

   a humorous anecdote.

   Synonyms: laughable, ludicrous
   Antonyms: serious, sober, solemn

2. having or showing the faculty of humor; droll; facetious.

   a humorous person.

   Synonyms: comical, comic, jocular, jocose
   Antonyms: serious, sober, solemn

humorous

²

[hyoo-mer-uhs, yoo-]

adjective

1. Archaic.,  moist; wet.

2. pertaining or due to the bodily humors.

humorous

/ ˈhjuːmərəs /

adjective

1. funny; comical; amusing

2. displaying or creating humour

3. archaic,  another word for capricious

Other Word Forms

• humorously adverb
• humorousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of humorous¹

First recorded in 1570–80; humor + -ous

Origin of humorous²

1375–1425; late Middle English < Late Latin ( h ) ūmōrōsus; humor, -ous

Synonym Study

Humorous, witty, facetious, waggish imply something that arises from cleverness or a sense of fun. Humorous implies a genuine sense of fun and the comic, impersonal, or gently personal: a humorous version of an incident; a humorous view of life. Witty implies quickness to perceive the amusing, striking, or unusual and to express it cleverly and entertainingly; it sometimes becomes rather sharp and unkind, particularly in quick repartee of a personal nature: a witty and interesting companion; to be witty at someone else's expense. Facetious suggests a desire or attempt to be jocular or witty but not to be taken seriously: a facetious remark. Waggish suggests the spirit of sly mischief and roguery of the constant joker, with no harm intended: a waggish good humor.

Example Sentences

The short “Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom,” for instance, is a humorous tale about the discovery of music.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

For his first song, he picked the humorous “Honey Bun” from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “South Pacific.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But for all the calculated cruelty and blind ignorance, there is a humorous angle to the conditions on Parris Island: The intimate living conditions, the constant showering, the “blouses,” the “mounting.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The title track, featuring Sabrina Carpenter, explores what she called “the playful, humorous side of show business.”

Read more on Salon

And while it’s giving them far too much credit, I have to wonder if there’s a ruthless, viciously humorous kind of satisfaction in watching two people become equals on the treacherous battlefield of unemployment.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• amusing 
• comic 
• droll 
• entertaining 
• hilarious 
• playful 
• pleasant 
• whimsical