humor
pronunciation
How to pronounce humor in British English:
UK [ˈhjuːmə]
How to pronounce humor in American English:
US [ˈhjuːmə(r)]
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- Noun:
- a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
- the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous
- a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
- the quality of being funny
- (Middle Ages) one of the four fluids in the body whose balance was believed to determine your emotional and physical state
- the liquid parts of the body
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- Verb:
- put into a good mood
Word Origin
- humor (n.)
- mid-14c., "fluid or juice of an animal or plant," from Old North French humour (Old French humor; Modern French humeur), from Latin umor "body fluid" (also humor, by false association with humus "earth"); related to umere "be wet, moist," and to uvescere "become wet," from PIE *wegw- "wet." In ancient and medieval physiology, "any of the four body fluids" (blood, phlegm, choler, and melancholy or black bile) whose relative proportions were thought to determine state of mind. This led to a sense of "mood, temporary state of mind" (first recorded 1520s); the sense of "amusing quality, funniness" is first recorded 1680s, probably via sense of "whim, caprice" (1560s), which also produced the verb sense of "indulge," first attested 1580s. "The pronunciation of the initial h is only of recent date, and is sometimes omitted ...." [OED] For types of humor, see the useful table below, from H.W. Fowler ["Modern English Usage," 1926]. device HUMOR WIT SATIRE SARCASM INVECTIVE IRONY CYNICISM SARDONIC motive/aim discovery throwing light amendment inflicting pain discredit exclusiveness self-justification self-relief province human nature words & ideas morals & manners faults & foibles misconduct statement of facts morals adversity method/means observation surprise accentuation inversion direct statement mystification exposure of nakedness pessimism audience the sympathetic the intelligent the self-satisfied victim & bystander the public an inner circle the respectable the self
- humor (v.)
- 1580s; see humor (n.). Related: Humored; humoring.
Example
- 1. Humor is the perfect solution for all the problems .
- 2. It 's not the first time kulula has embraced humor when decorating planes .
- 3. This collaborative dance company is acclaimed for its mix of humor , invention , and drama .
- 4. The humor writers share a corner office .
- 5. Humor and laughter provide so many rewards .