jocular

English

Etymology

From Latin iocularis, from ioculus (“a little jest”), diminutive of iocus (“a jest”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɒkjʊlə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɑkjəlɚ/

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Adjective

jocular (comparative more jocular, superlative most jocular)

1. Humorous, amusing or joking.

   He was in a jocular mood all day.

   All we had was a short and jocular conversation.

   • 1865, Horatio Alger, “chapter IV”, in 'Paul Prescott's Charge:

     From the tone of the speaker, the last words might be understood to be jocular.

   • 1896, H. G. Wells, “chapter 15”, in The Island of Dr. Moreau:

     Sometimes he would notice it, pat it, call it half-mocking, half-jocular names, and so make it caper with extraordinary delight.

   • 1910, Stephen Leacock, The Awful Fate of Melpomenus Jones:

     Then papa began to get very tired of Jones, and fidgeted and finally said, with jocular irony, that Jones had better stay all night, they could give him a shake-down.

Synonyms

• (humorous): jokey, silly, joculous; see also Thesaurus:witty

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of "humorous"): heartfelt, serious, sincere

Derived terms

Related terms

• joke

Translations

Further reading

• “jocular”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “jocular”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “jocular”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.