jocular

[jok-yuh-ler]

See more synonyms for jocular on Thesaurus.com

adjective

given to, characterized by, intended for, or suited to joking or jesting; waggish; facetious: jocular remarks about opera stars.

Origin of jocular

1620–30; < Latin joculāris, equivalent to jocul(us) little joke (joc(us) joke + -ulus -ule) + -āris -ar¹

Related formsjoc·u·lar·ly, adverbo·ver·joc·u·lar, adjectiveo·ver·joc·u·lar·ly, adverbsem·i·joc·u·lar, adjectivesem·i·joc·u·lar·ly, adverb

Can be confusedjocose jocular jocund jovial (see synonym study at jovial)

Synonyms

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See 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.
Forget the Wife Beating—Are You Ready for Some Football?
Steve Almond
September 11, 2014
When he ran into Sperling at a congressional dinner at the White House a couple of weeks later, the encounter was jocular.
Democrats' Negotiator in Chief
Lloyd Grove
May 19, 2011
Yet she never wanders far from the defining characteristics of her writing: it's all jocular observation of herself or others.
Nora Ephron on Her Life, Loves, and Disappointments
Claire Howorth
November 6, 2010

Historical Examples

"Well, I guess that's about all Dav does," said Bagley, in a jocular manner.
The Mystery of Murray Davenport
Robert Neilson Stephens
From the tone of the speaker, the last words might be understood to be jocular.
Paul Prescott's Charge
Horatio Alger
But I could not find it in my heart to pursue this discussion in a jocular tone.
Chance
Joseph Conrad
"I shall go to the wall," he said, with a sort of jocular desperation.
Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard
Joseph Conrad
Their industry goes so far, that jocular reports of its excess are spread.
A Tour in Ireland
Arthur Young

British Dictionary definitions for jocular

jocular

adjective

characterized by joking and good humour
meant lightly or humorously; facetious

Derived Formsjocularity (ˌdʒɒkjʊˈlærɪtɪ), nounjocularly, adverb

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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

jocular

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}jocular

Synonyms

Related Words

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.

From the tone of the speaker, the last words might be understood to be jocular.

But I could not find it in my heart to pursue this discussion in a jocular tone.

"I shall go to the wall," he said, with a sort of jocular desperation.

Their industry goes so far, that jocular reports of its excess are spread.

jocular

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for jocular

adj.

Origin of jocular