Table of Contents
Introduction
In this post, we will explore a variety of vocabulary related to humor. Understanding these terms can enhance your ability to appreciate and discuss different forms of humor, from jokes and puns to satire and gallows humor.
If you are looking to expand your humor vocabulary, this list will provide you with the essential terms and their meanings to help you navigate the world of humor.
Humor Vocabulary
This is a list of vocabulary items related to humor.
Caricature
- A description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.
- Example: “The caricature of the politician in the newspaper was quite funny.”
Humor
- Humor or humour is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement.
Sense of humor
- A sense of humor is the ability to experience humor.
- Example: “He’s got a great sense of humor” (= he is able to see things as amusing).
Humorist
- A person who writes or tells amusing stories.
- Example: “Do comedians and humorists earn large salaries?”
Humorous
- Funny, or making you laugh.
- Example: “Her latest book is a humorous look at teenage life.”
Amusing
- Adjective. Entertaining.
- Example: “An amusing story/person/situation.”
Comedy
- Any humorous discourse generally intended to amuse, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. It can also refer to the amusing part of a situation.
- Examples:
- “I prefer Shakespeare’s comedies to his tragedies.”
- “The candidate forgetting his lines in the middle of the speech provided some good comedy.”
Comedian
- A person whose job is to make people laugh by telling jokes and amusing stories or by mimicking the behavior or speech of famous people.
- Example: “He is a stand-up comedian.”
Black humor
- An amusing way of looking at or treating something that is serious or sad.
Crack a joke
- A collocation that includes a verb (crack) and a noun (joke). It means to make a joke or a clever remark.
- Example: “He’s always cracking jokes.”
Droll
- Droll is an adjective that means amusing, especially in an unusual way.
- Example: “A droll remark/expression/person.”
Dry humor
- Very amusing in a way that is clever and not loud or obvious.
- Examples: “A dry sense of humor.” “A dry wit.”
Facetious
- Not serious about a serious subject, in an attempt to be amusing or appear clever.
- Examples: “Facetious remarks.” “He’s just being facetious.”
Funny
- Funny is an adjective. Amusing; causing laughter.
- Examples:
- “Do you know any funny jokes?” “It’s not funny – don’t laugh!”
- “No matter how disastrous the situation, there always seems to be a funny side to it.”
Gag
- Gad is a noun (INFORMAL). It refers to a joke or funny story, especially one told by a comedian.
- Example: “I did a few opening gags about the band that had been on before me.”
Gallows humor
- Phrasal Noun. Also referred to as black humor. Jokes or humorous remarks or stories about subjects generally considered taboo, particularly unpleasant, worrying, serious, or painful topics such as death and illness.
- Example: “His stories are distinguished by a gallows humor.”
Note about the Origine of “Gallows Humor”:
The term “gallows humor” comes from the tradition of making jokes or finding humor in grim, bleak, or potentially tragic situations, like those involving the gallows (a structure used for execution by hanging). This type of humor serves as a coping mechanism to bring lightness to dark or serious circumstances. The origin of the term is linked to individuals facing execution, who would sometimes make jokes or use dark humor to cope with their imminent death. Over time, “gallows humor” has come to describe humor that emerges in similarly dire or serious situations.
Hilarious
- Hilarious is an adjective. Hilarious means extremely amusing and causing a lot of laughter.
- Example: “He didn’t like the film at all – I thought it was hilarious.”
Irony
- The use of words to convey a meaning that is opposite of its literal meaning, often for humorous or emphatic effect.
- Examples:
- “The irony of the situation was that the fire station burned down.”
- “She said it with heavy irony.”
Jest
- Jest is a noun (FORMAL). Something said or done to amuse.
- Example: “His proposal was no jest – he was completely sincere.”
Joke
- Something, such as an amusing story or trick, said or done to make people laugh.
- Examples:
- “Did I tell you the joke about the chicken crossing the road?”
- “She spent the evening cracking jokes and telling funny stories.”
- “He tried to do a comedy routine, but all his jokes fell flat.”
- “Don’t you get the joke?”
Laugh
- To smile while making sounds with your voice that show you think something is funny or you are happy.
- Examples:
- “They laughed at her jokes.”
- “I couldn’t stop laughing.”
Parody
- A humorous or satirical imitation of a serious piece of literature or writing.
- Example: “The movie was a parody of the classic horror genre.”
Puns
- A form of word play that suggests two or more meanings by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect.
- Example: “I used to be a baker, but I couldn’t make enough dough.” (This pun plays on the double meaning of “dough” as both money and the mixture used to make bread.)
Punny
- Involving or making puns, which are jokes that exploit different possible meanings of a word or words that sound alike but have different meanings.
- Example: “His punny jokes always make me laugh.”
Satire
- A way of criticizing people or ideas in a humorous way, or a piece of writing or play that uses this style. Satire often relies on understanding the target of the humor and thus tends to appeal to more mature audiences.
- Examples:
- “He wrote a political satire.”
- “Her play was a biting satire on life in the 80s.”
Satirical
- Saitirical is the adjective from satire. The word pertains to or constitutes satire.
- Example: “The satirical cartoon commented on the current political situation.”
Sarcasm
- The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
- Examples:
- “She said with sarcasm, ‘Oh, great! Now I have more work to do.'”
- “His tone was filled with sarcasm.”
Slapstick
- A style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity which exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy.
- Example: “The old silent films were known for their slapstick comedy.”
Wit
- The ability to perceive and express in an ingeniously humorous manner the relationship between seemingly incongruous or disparate things.
Test your Understanding
Humor Vocabulary Quiz:
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the list:
sarcasm, black, cracking, humorist, parody, slapstick, hilarious
- A person who writes or tells amusing stories is called a __________.
- __________ humor is an amusing way of looking at something serious or sad.
- “He’s always __________ jokes.” This means he is always making jokes.
- An adjective that describes something extremely amusing is __________.
- A humorous imitation of a serious piece of literature or writing is called a __________.
- Humor that involves exaggerated physical activity is known as __________.
- __________ is the use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
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