funny

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfʌni/, /ˈfʌnɪ/

  • Audio (UK)

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• (US) enPR: fŭnʹē, IPA^(key): /ˈfʌni/

  • Audio (US)

    (file)

• (Northern England) IPA^(key): /ˈfʊnɪ/
• Rhymes: -ʌni

Etymology 1

From fun +‎ -y.

Adjective

funny (comparative funnier, superlative funniest)

1. Amusing; humorous; comical.

   When I went to the circus, I only found the clowns funny.

2. Strange or unusual, often implying unpleasant.

   The milk smelt funny so I poured it away.

   I've got a funny feeling that this isn't going to work.

   • 2002, “Funny Time Of Year”, in Out of Season, performed by Beth Gibbons ft. Rustin Man:

     Oh it's a funny time of year / There'll be no blossom on the trees

3. (UK, informal) Showing unexpected resentment.
   • 2011, Sarah Webb, It Had To Be You:

     'Moved in where?' Sam asked Brona in confusion. 'What boyfriend?'
     'Glen,' Brona said quietly. 'You met him a while ago, remember? He only moved in last week. I was going to tell you but […] I thought you might be funny about it, that's all.'

   • 2012, Jade Varden, The Tower (Deck of Lies, #2):

     Ash would have been happy to sit and stare at Viv all day, but when he saw the other guys staring at his sister, too, he got funny about it.

4. (Jamaica, offensive, derogatory) homosexual; gay
   • 2005, Damian Marley, “Welcome to Jamrock”, in Welcome to Jamrock (album title)‎:

     Funny man ah get drop like a bad habit.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:funny
• See also Thesaurus:strange

Derived terms

Related terms

• fun

Translations

Noun

funny (plural funnies)

1. (informal) A joke.
   • 1996, The Living Church - Volume 212, page 20:

     After church I am met by a dear parishioner who says, "Got a funny for you. Father." Now I'll have "funnies," so I can reply. "Got one for you too, Mary!"

   • 2014, Brian Conaghan, When Mr. Dog Bites, page 54:

     Everyone would be sitting on big fluffy white clouds singing songs, telling funnies and just enjoying the day.

2. (informal) A comic strip.
   • 1974, The New York Times Magazine, page cliv:

     Chic Young, who created his funny funny, “Blondie,” in 1930, and kept it the most popular comic strip in the world right through the unfunny generation, was quick to see the difference between the innocent funnies and the new generation of comics that started after the Second World War:

   • 2014 March 9, Johnny Vardeman, “Drawn into history: Gainesville cartoonist to continue legacy of Mark Trail comic”, in Gainesville Times:

     The artist gave priority to “Mark Trail,” usually spending at least eight hours a day on it, then working at night on “The Ryatts,” a funny that featured the foibles of a family much like his own, which included four children.

   • 2009, R. P. Moffa, The Vaulted Sky, page 343:

     His father was more likely to listen to the radio, although he would read the Sunday funnies, and his grandmother would only read the Italian language paper she picked up at the corner candy store.

3. (Internet slang, chiefly ironic) Humor in general.

   Where's the funny? Your meme sucks.

   Finally, the funny.

Translations

Adverb

funny (not comparable)

1. (nonstandard) In an unusual manner; strangely.
   • 1970, Troy Conway, The Cunning Linguist, London: Flamingo Books, page 41:

     She was breathing funny now.

2. (Jamaica, offensive, derogatory) In a manner seen as being typical of a homosexual, or indicating homosexuality
   • 2002, Sean Paul, “Like Glue”, in Dutty Rock (album title)‎:

     Dem nuh waan nuh honey, dem only waan di money. Dat’s how me know seh dem bwoy deh all a move funny.

   • 2018, Jah Lando, Money Hard‎:

     Nuff boy move funny just fi get money.

Etymology 2

Perhaps a jocular use of funny. See above.

Noun

funny (plural funnies)

1. (British, nautical, dated) A narrow, clinker-built double-ender for sculling.
   • 1810, Letters from a Nobleman to His Son, During the Period of His Education at Eton and Oxford, volume 1, pages 63–64:

     I myself recollect the funnies at Eton, which were certain little boats, capable of containing one person only, who, like an Indian in his canoe, was constantly obliged to balance himself, with such critical nicety, that the least mistake was certain of producing a ducking.

   • 1841 December 12, William Thomson, “”, in Silvanus P. Thompson, The Life of William Thomson, Baron Kelvin of Largs, volume 1, published 1910, page 33:

     As I do not belong to the boat-club, I always row by myself in a funny […] or at least go in a two-oared boat, with some friend with whom I should otherwise be walking.

   • 1971, Julian Tyndale-Biscoe, Gunner Subaltern, page 144:

     We were going to have a go in one of the double scull ‘funnies’ that could be had from the Rowing Club in the harbour, but he is off up the line tomorrow to rejoin his old Battery.

   • 1999, Patrick Wright, The River: The Thames in Our Time, →ISBN, page 145:

     There was a great market for leisure boats, too: no wherries any longer, but whole fleets of punts, rowing gigs, funnies, skiffs, whiffs and randans […]