humour

[hyoo-mer]

noun

Chiefly British.

1. humor.

humour

/ ˈhjuːmə /

noun

1. the quality of being funny

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

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

4. 1. a state of mind; temper; mood

   2. ( in combination )

      ill humour

      good humour

5. temperament or disposition

6. a caprice or whim

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

8. 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

9. in a bad mood

verb

1. to attempt to gratify; indulge

   he humoured the boy's whims

2. to adapt oneself to

   to humour someone's fantasies

Spelling Note

See -or ¹.

Other Word Forms

• humourless adjective
• humourful adjective
• humourlessness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of humour¹

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

Example Sentences

Being able to smile and offer a degree of humour can soften the perception of you.

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Personally, I will miss his stamina, good humour and resilience and I will miss working with him.

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Reflecting on the latter years of his friendship with Terry Jones, Sir Michael Palin says that even as dementia took many things from his Monty Python co-star, his humour remained.

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"There is a similar stoic spirit of self-deprecation and humour in Ukrainians, that I recognise more than any other, in us Brits," he says.

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Their side had not long come from behind to go 2-1 up against Newcastle United when gallows humour swept across the London Stadium.

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