humor
humor definition
hu·mor (hyo̵̅o̅′mər, yo̵̅o̅′-)
noun
- any fluid or juice of an animal or plant; esp., any of the four fluids (cardinal humors) formerly considered responsible for one's health and disposition; blood, phlegm, choler, or melancholy
- a person's disposition or temperament
- a mood; state of mind
- whim; fancy; caprice
- the quality that makes something seem funny, amusing, or ludicrous; comicality
- the ability to perceive, appreciate, or express what is funny, amusing, or ludicrous
- the expression of this in speech, writing, or action
- any fluid or fluidlike substance of the body; blood, lymph, bile, etc. the aqueous humor
Etymology: ME < OFr < L humor, umor, moisture, fluid, akin to umere, to be moist < IE base *wegw-, *ugw-, moist, moisten, wake, Gr hygros, moist, fluid, Du wak, wet
transitive verb
- to comply with the mood or whim of (another); indulge
- to act in agreement with the nature of; adapt oneself to
Related Forms:
- humorless hu′·mor·less adjective
humor Idioms
out of humor
not in a good mood; cross; disagreeable
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Comments
Improve this definition.
Related Discussions (2)
| Topic | Replies | Latest Post |
|---|---|---|
| HUMOR | 7 | -409 minutes ago |
| Humor: Â The Lift | 23 | 5 years ago |
Browse dictionary definitions near humor
Share on Facebook