Humor
ˈhjuːmə(r)
Definitions
3 meaningsThe ability to be funny, or the quality in something that makes you laugh or smile.
ˈhjuːmə(r)
The quality of being amusing or comic.
Her humor brightened up the whole party.
💡 Simply: Humor is like the sunshine of words or actions! When something has humor, it makes you laugh or smile. Like when your friend tells a silly story, that's humor in action!
👶 For kids: Humor is when something is funny and makes you giggle!
More Examples
The movie had a lot of slapstick humor.
I appreciate his dry sense of humor.
How It's Used
"His jokes always bring a lot of humor to the room."
"The book uses dark humor to explore the absurdity of life."
A mood or state of mind, especially one that affects your behavior or the way you feel. (Often used in older contexts or literary works).
ˈhjuːmə(r)
A state of mind; mood or temper.
He was in a bad humor all morning.
💡 Simply: Sometimes, your 'humor' is just how you're feeling! Like, if you're in a good humor, you're happy, but if you're in a bad humor, you might be grumpy. It's how you're feeling inside!
👶 For kids: Humor can also mean how you're feeling, like if you're happy or sad.
More Examples
The painting captured the artist's humor.
Her sense of humor was clearly displayed in her writing.
How It's Used
"He was in a foul humor after the argument."
"In ancient medicine, a balance of humors was thought to be essential for health."
To indulge or gratify (a person or whim).
ˈhjuːmə(r)
To accommodate the mood or whim of someone.
She decided to humor him and let him win at chess.
💡 Simply: To 'humor' someone means to go along with what they want, even if you don't completely agree. Like, if your friend wants to play a game you don't really like, you might 'humor' them and play anyway to make them happy.
👶 For kids: To humor someone is to let them do what they want to do, even if you don't want to.
More Examples
The teacher humored the student's unusual request.
He humored his grandmother's stories.
How It's Used
"He humored her complaints about the weather."
"She decided to humor him and let him pick the movie."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
dark humor
Humor that makes light of serious and often taboo subjects.
"The comedian's dark humor often provokes both laughter and discomfort."
sense of humor
The ability to appreciate things that are funny.
"She has a great sense of humor and always makes us laugh."
dry humor
A form of humor delivered with a straight face, often involving subtle irony or understatement.
"His dry humor was lost on those who didn't understand the subtleties."
From Old French *umor*, from Latin *humor* (liquid, moisture), referring to the four bodily fluids (humors) believed to determine temperament in ancient and medieval medicine.
Originally related to the four humors in ancient medicine (blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile), thought to determine temperament. The use of the word broadened over time.
Memory tip
Think of a comedian's jokes – they're meant to create humor!
Word Origin
"liquid, moisture"