humorous
1 American
adjective
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funny; comical; amusing
-
displaying or creating humour
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archaic another word for capricious
Synonym Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of humorous1
First recorded in 1570–80; humor + -ous
Origin of humorous2
1375–1425; late Middle English < Late Latin ( h ) ūmōrōsus; see humor, -ous
Explanation
If something is humorous it's funny. Humorous is a fine tone for toasting at your friend’s wedding, but not so much for the reading of someone's last will and testament. When we talk about humor, we’re usually talking about something funny. But originally the word humorous had to do with the body’s humors, or moods. If you’re reading a medieval book on medicine, you might find descriptions of humorous maladies. Those aren’t joke sicknesses. But if anyone born after 1700 says something is humorous, it means they think it's funny.
Vocabulary lists containing humorous
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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.
Josh Svetz, a Los Angeles writer and music consultant, shared a similar experience, noting laughter during both the film’s intentionally humorous moments and chuckles that drowned out moments of discomfort.
From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2026
The less-known works—from a humorous three-screen video to solemn portraits made during military service—hold surprises outside the artist’s signature aesthetic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Pledging love and respecting someone or a relationship can make people feel so uncomfortable that leaning into these tropes of life can feel humorous, and that’s where the laughs from a Hallmark film come from.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
The story unfolds into a humorous and poignant satire that makes sharp observations about the state of modern masculinity and creative life.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
I even had his humorous expression in my face, his sharp, optimistic awareness.
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
