humour
Americannoun
noun
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the quality of being funny
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Also called: sense of humour. the ability to appreciate or express that which is humorous
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situations, speech, or writings that are thought to be humorous
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a state of mind; temper; mood
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( in combination )
ill humour
good humour
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temperament or disposition
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a caprice or whim
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any of various fluids in the body, esp the aqueous humour and vitreous humour
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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
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in a bad mood
verb
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to attempt to gratify; indulge
he humoured the boy's whims
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to adapt oneself to
to humour someone's fantasies
Spelling
See -or 1.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of humour
C14: from Latin humor liquid; related to Latin ūmēre to be wet, Old Norse vökr moist, Greek hugros wet
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.
El-Sayed ran a social media-first campaign, with TikTok edits showing him speaking directly to young voters, tapping into Gen Z humour, and sporting friendship bracelets.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
"He had a warmth, a genuine sense of humour, he always made time for individuals and that's one of the tributes that has been said many times this morning," Knott told BBC Scotland News.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
A cheeky chord injects humour into a kitchen conflab.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026
His father, Robert Bell, said his son "never took himself too seriously and had a wicked sense of humour".
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
Even so we cannot hold out much longer; our humour becomes more bitter every month.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
