humorous
adjUK /ˈhjuːməɹəs/ · US /ˈhjuːməɹəs/
Etymology From Middle English humorous (compare Medieval Latin hūmorōsus), equivalent to humor + -ous.
1
Full of humor or arousing laughter; funny.
- The waiters were so humorous - one even did a backflip for us, when we asked him.
2
Showing humor; witty, jocular.
3
Obsolete Damp or watery.
4
Obsolete Dependent on or caused by one's humour or mood; capricious, whimsical.
- [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.c. 1598–1600 (date written), 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, [Act I, scene ii], lines 380-83:
- It is a melancholy humor[…]that firſt put this humorous conceipt [translating resverie] of writing into my head.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, page 212:
1 more example
- 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.1861, Elizabeth Gaskell, The Grey Woman:
- Derived terms
- humorously, humorousness, nonhumorous, semihumorous, unhumorous