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Contents
humorous
Overview
This page has 4 definitions of humorous in English. Humorous is an adjective. Examples of how to use humorous in a sentence are shown. Also define these 16 related words and terms: full, humor, arousing, laughter, funny, backflip, showing, witty, jocular, damp, watery, humour, mood, capricious, whimsical, and resverie.
English
Etymology
From Middle English humorous (compare Medieval Latin hūmorōsus), equivalent to humor + -ous.
Pronunciation
- (UK) enPR: hyo͞o'mərəs, IPA(key): /ˈhjuːməɹəs/
Audio (UK) (file) - (US) IPA(key): /ˈhjuːməɹɪs/
- Rhymes: (UK) -uːməɹəs
- Homophone: humerus
Adjective
humorous (comparative more humorous, superlative most humorous)
- Full of humor or arousing laughter; funny.
- The waiters were so humorous - one even did a backflip for us, when we asked him.
Full definition
Containing the maximum possible amount that can fit in the space available. (1 of 16 full definitions)
Arousing definition
present participle of arouse
Laughter definition
The sound of laughing, produced by air so expelled; any similar sound. (1 of 3 laughter definitions)
Backflip definition
An act of rotating one's body 360 degrees in the backward direction. (1 of 2 backflip definitions)
- Showing humor; witty, jocular.
Showing definition
present participle of show
- (obsolete) Damp or watery.
Watery definition
Resembling or characteristic of water. (1 of 7 watery definitions)
- (obsolete) Dependent on or caused by one's humour or mood; capricious, whimsical.
- c. 1598–1600, William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act I, scene ii], lines 380-83:
- [S]uch is now the Duke's condition
That he misconstrues all that you have done.
The Duke is humorous; what he is, indeed,
More suits you to conceive than I to speak of.
- 1603, Michel de Montaigne, “Of the affection of fathers to their children”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821, page 212:
- It is a melancholy humor […] that firſt put this humorous conceipt [translating resverie] of writing into my head.
- 1861, Elizabeth Gaskell, The Grey Woman
- I felt at this time as if I could have been fond of him too, if he would have let me; but I was timid from my childhood, and before long my dread of his displeasure […] conquered my humorous inclination to love one who was so handsome, so accomplished, so indulgent and devoted.
Whimsical definition
Given to whimsy.
Resverie definition
daydream
Usage notes
While the spelling humour is preferred over humor in British English, humorous is standard in both American and British English, and humourous is nonstandard.
Synonyms
- (arousing laughter): amusing, funny
- (witty): amusing, jocular, witty
- See also Thesaurus:funny
- See also Thesaurus:witty
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
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