droll
Americanadjective
noun
verb (used without object)
adjective
Related Words
See amusing.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of droll
First recorded in 1615–25; from Middle French drolle “pleasant rascal,” perhaps from Middle Dutch drol “elf, goblin, fat little man,” ultimately from Old Norse; cf. troll 2 ( def. )
Explanation
Need a mental picture for the word droll? Think of one of those cute-homely troll dolls — blend those two words together — "doll" and "troll" — and you get droll, a description of a figure that is adorably strange and whimsically cute. The word droll comes from the archaic French word drolle, referring to a jolly good fellow. The French word comes perhaps from the Middle Dutch drolle, or "imp." The word came into English as both noun ("funny person, buffoon") and adjective ("funny, quaint, strange") in the 17th century.
Vocabulary lists containing droll
The Awakening
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Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie
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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
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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.
I like the free-associative nature of her humor, the droll precision of her speech, and the fact that, while I know she will zig and zag, I never know which way she’ll turn.
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026
A ragtag ensemble, a daunting task, an uncertain journey: Here are all the makings of a classic fantasy tale, with the bonus additions of Mr. Stead’s droll humor and eye for whimsical detail.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
Yes, if we learned anything from “Joe Pera Talks With You,” the Adult Swim comedy series that blends “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” with the droll humor of Steven Wright.
From Salon • Dec. 26, 2025
This droll spook show bleeds into romance and politics and, to our shock, becomes genuinely emotional.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2025
I really couldn’t help it, and it all came about in such a droll way that I must tell you.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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.
