ridiculous
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See absurd.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of ridiculous
First recorded in 1540–50; from Late Latin rīdiculōsus “laughable, droll,” equivalent to Latin rīdicul(us), adjective derivative of rīdiculum ridicule ( def. ) + -ōsus -ous ( def. )
Explanation
Did you just say that you could toss a rubber chicken over an ocean? Don’t be ridiculous, because ridiculous words are hard to believe, and they will make others laugh at you, not always in a good way either. The adjective ridiculous comes from the Latin word ridere, which means “to laugh,” but it’s also related to the word ridicule, which means to mock in a cruel way. A mocking and cruel laughter, that’s a common reaction to ridiculous situations. However, there are all different kinds of ridiculous, like seeing a fish holding an umbrella while riding a bike.
Vocabulary lists containing ridiculous
The Secret Life of Bees
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 6
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"Abuela Invents the Zero" and "Karate"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 2014, "The Grotesque Apple" and "Ridiculous Potato" were promoted in an advertising campaign helmed by a French supermarket chain that sold the produce at discounted rates.
From Salon • Sep. 11, 2024
Ridiculous amounts of snow is nothing new at Mt.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 16, 2023
Everett Quinton, a versatile mainstay of the downtown theater scene in New York as an actor, director and, for decades, leader of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company, died on Monday in Brooklyn.
From New York Times • Jan. 27, 2023
And Rakesh Pradhan simply put it: "Just give the golden boot to Haaland now. Ridiculous talent."
From BBC • Aug. 31, 2022
His full name was Gaius Vitellius Reticulus, but the other cohorts called him Vitellius the Ridiculous.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
