jocular
[jok-yuh-ler]
- given to, characterized by, intended for, or suited to joking or jesting; waggish; facetious: jocular remarks about opera stars.
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Origin of jocular
Synonyms
See more synonyms for jocular on Thesaurus.comSee jovial.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for jocular
Contemporary Examples
Where Simmons is jocular in a kind of clever fratboy way, Lund is more refined in his language and more robust in his indignation.
When he ran into Sperling at a congressional dinner at the White House a couple of weeks later, the encounter was jocular.
Yet she never wanders far from the defining characteristics of her writing: it's all jocular observation of herself or others.
Historical Examples
"Well, I guess that's about all Dav does," said Bagley, in a jocular manner.
The Mystery of Murray DavenportRobert Neilson Stephens
From the tone of the speaker, the last words might be understood to be jocular.
Paul Prescott's ChargeHoratio Alger
But I could not find it in my heart to pursue this discussion in a jocular tone.
ChanceJoseph Conrad
"I shall go to the wall," he said, with a sort of jocular desperation.
Nostromo: A Tale of the SeaboardJoseph Conrad
Their industry goes so far, that jocular reports of its excess are spread.
A Tour in IrelandArthur Young
jocular
- characterized by joking and good humour
- meant lightly or humorously; facetious
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Word Origin
C17: from Latin joculāris, from joculus little joke
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for jocular
adj.
1620s, from Latin iocularis "funny, comic," from ioculus, diminutive of iocus (see joke (n.)). Implies evasion of an issue by a joke.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper