humor

¹hu·mor

noun \ˈhyü-mər, ˈyü-\

Definition of HUMOR

1

a : a normal functioning bodily semifluid or fluid (as the blood or lymph)

b : a secretion (as a hormone) that is an excitant of activity

2

a in medieval physiology : a fluid or juice of an animal or plant; specifically : one of the four fluids entering into the constitution of the body and determining by their relative proportions a person's health and temperament

b : characteristic or habitual disposition or bent : temperament <of cheerful humor>

c : an often temporary state of mind imposed especially by circumstances <was in no humor to listen>

d : a sudden, unpredictable, or unreasoning inclination : whim

3

a : that quality which appeals to a sense of the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous

b : the mental faculty of discovering, expressing, or appreciating the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous

c : something that is or is designed to be comical or amusing

— out of humor

: out of sorts

Examples of HUMOR

1. He didn't appreciate the humor of the situation.
2. Someday, you'll see the humor in this.
3. Everyone likes the gentle humor of his stories of family life.
4. She doesn't care for ethnic humor.
5. The book is a collection of American humor.
6. His humor is one of his most attractive qualities.

Origin of HUMOR

Middle English humour, from Anglo-French umor, umour, from Medieval Latin & Latin; Medieval Latin humor, from Latin humor, umor moisture; akin to Old Norse vǫkr damp, Latin humēre to be moist, and perhaps to Greek hygros wet

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to HUMOR

Synonyms

comedy, comic, comicality, drollery, drollness, funniness, hilariousness, humorousness, richness, uproariousness

Antonyms

pathos

Related Words

amusement, enjoyment, fun, pleasure; absurdity, irony, laughableness, ludicrousness, ridiculousness; whimsicality, wittiness, wryness; burlesque, caricature, farce, jest, lampoon, parody, satire, slapstick, spoof, takeoff; jocularity, jokiness, playfulness, waggishness

Near Antonyms

agony, anguish, dolor, grief, heartache, heartbreak, misery, sorrow, torment, torture, tribulation, woe; gravity, seriousness, soberness, solemnity, solemnness, somberness

See Synonym Discussion at wit

Rhymes with HUMOR

bloomer, Bloomer, boomer, groomer, roomer, rumor, Sumer, tumor

²humor

transitive verb

hu·moredhu·mor·ing \ˈhyüm-riŋ, ˈyüm-, ˈhyü-mə-, ˈyü-\

Definition of HUMOR

1

: to soothe or content by indulgence

2

: to adapt oneself to

Examples of HUMOR

1. The only way to get along with him is to humor him.
2. <humored her grandfather by listening to his war stories for the hundredth time>

First Known Use of HUMOR

1588

Related to HUMOR

Synonyms

cater (to), gratify, indulge

Related Words

bask, luxuriate, revel, wallow; coddle, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil; delight, please, pleasure; sate, satiate, satisfy

Near Antonyms

bridle, check, constrain, curb, inhibit, restrain, stifle

See Synonym Discussion at indulge

hu·mor

noun    (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of HUMOR

1

a : a normal functioning bodily semifluid or fluid (as the blood or lymph) b : a secretion (as a hormone) that is an excitant of activity

2

in ancient and medieval physiology : a fluid or juice of an animal or plant; specifically : one of the four fluids that were believed to enter into the constitution of the body and to determine by their relative proportions a person's health and temperament—see black bile, blood 3, phlegm 1, yellow bile

Variants of HUMOR

hu·mor or chiefly British hu·mour \ˈhyü-mər, ˈyü-\ (audio pronunciation) (audio pronunciation)