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facetious

[ fuh-see-shuhs ]
/ fəˈsi ʃəs /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR facetious ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

not meant to be taken seriously or literally: a facetious remark.
amusing; humorous.
lacking serious intent; concerned with something nonessential, amusing, or frivolous: a facetious person.

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Origin of facetious

First recorded in 1585–95; from Middle French facecieux, facetieux, from facetie “a jest,” from Latin facētia “a jest, witticism” (see facetiae) + -ious

synonym study for facetious

2. See humorous1.

usage note for facetious

A term labeled Facetious in this dictionary is one that is used consciously for humorous or playful effect.

OTHER WORDS FROM facetious

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH facetious

facetious , factious, factitious
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to facetious

amusing, blithe, clever, comic, comical, droll, dry, fanciful, farcical, flip, flippant, frivolous, funny, gay, humorous, indecorous, ironic, irreverent, jesting, jocose

Example sentences from the Web for facetious

British Dictionary definitions for facetious

facetious
/ (fəˈsiːʃəs) /

adjective

characterized by levity of attitude and love of jokinga facetious person
jocular or amusing, esp at inappropriate timesfacetious remarks

Derived forms of facetious

facetiously, adverbfacetiousness, noun

Word Origin for facetious

C16: from Old French facetieux, from facetie witty saying; see facetiae
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