facetiae

American  

[fuh-see-shee-ee] / fəˈsi ʃiˌi /

plural noun

1. amusing or witty remarks or writings.

2. Older Use. pornographic books or other writings.

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facetiae British  

/ fəˈsiːʃɪˌiː /

plural noun

1. humorous or witty sayings

2. obscene or coarsely witty books

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Etymology

Origin of facetiae

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin, plural of facētia “something witty, a joke”; facete, -ia

Example Sentences

The "Mathematical Problem", one of his juvenile facetiae in rhyme, was thus heralded with a letter addressed to his brother George explaining the import of the doggerel.

From Biographia Epistolaris, Volume 1. by Turnbull, A.

"Still older than Joe Miller," was our reply; "for, if we mistake not, it is the very first anecdote in the facetiae of Hierocles."

From Rejected Addresses by Smith, James

Fancy a party in a country-house now looking over Woodward's facetiae or some of the Gilray comicalities, or the slatternly Saturnalia of Rowlandson!

From John Leech's Pictures of Life and Character by Thackeray, William Makepeace

It meant being chaffed and gibed at in language of which he only understood that it was cruel, though certain trite facetiae grew intelligible to him by repetition.

From Children of the Ghetto A Study of a Peculiar People by Zangwill, Israel

It is true, the methods were not many, being limited chiefly to that form of popular facetiae known as practical joking; and even this had assumed the seriousness of a business-pursuit.

From Tales of the Argonauts by Harte, Bret