humour

[ hyoo-mer ]

noun, verb (used with object)Chiefly British.

usage note For humour

See -or1.

Words Nearby humour

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use humour in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for humour

humour

US humor

/ (ˈhjuːmə) /


noun
  1. the quality of being funny

  2. Also called: sense of humour the ability to appreciate or express that which is humorous

  1. situations, speech, or writings that are thought to be humorous

    • a state of mind; temper; mood

    • (in combination): ill humour; good humour

  2. temperament or disposition

  3. a caprice or whim

  4. any of various fluids in the body, esp the aqueous humour and vitreous humour

  5. Also called: cardinal humour archaic any of the four bodily fluids (blood, phlegm, choler or yellow bile, melancholy or black bile) formerly thought to determine emotional and physical disposition

  6. out of humour in a bad mood

verb(tr)
  1. to attempt to gratify; indulge: he humoured the boy's whims

  2. to adapt oneself to: to humour someone's fantasies

Origin of humour

1
C14: from Latin humor liquid; related to Latin ūmēre to be wet, Old Norse vökr moist, Greek hugros wet

Derived forms of humour

  • humourful or US humorful, adjective
  • humourless or US humorless, adjective
  • humourlessness or US humorlessness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012