Humour Meaning

/ˈhjuː.mə(ɹ)/
B1

Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

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nounThe quality of being amusing, comical, funny.

nounA mood, especially a bad mood; a temporary state of mind or disposition brought upon by an event; an abrupt illogical inclination or whim.

He has a great sense of humour.
"The Nightingale Samurai" is a samurai tale full of humanity and humour.
It was a story full of gentle humour.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The British ____ in the play relied on witty wordplay and irony.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Laughter is often said to be the best medicine for those with a good sense of ____.

From Middle English humour, from Old French humor, humour, from Latin hūmor, correctly ūmor (“liquid”), from hūmeō, correctly ūmeō (“to be moist”). The h in these words, which was silent in late Classical Latin, is folk etymological, due to the erroneous association with the word humus (“soil”). The shift in meaning "liquid" > "mood" is attributed to the classical system of physiology, where human behaviour is regulated by four bodily humours (fluids). The sense "mood" gave rise to the verb sense "to give in to someone's mood or whim" and, by narrowing of meaning, the sense "wit".

""I gathered that you might not be altogether sorry to see me. So"—with a reassuring laugh—"here I am." A mild amusement at the possible humours of the situation characterised his manner." — 1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London:
"Merry VVhitefoord, farevvel! for thy ſake I admit / That a Scot may have humour, I had almoſt ſaid vvit: […]" — 1774, [Oliver] Goldsmith, “Postscript”, in Retaliation: A Poem. […], 5th edition, London: […] G[eorge] Kearsly, […], →OCLC, page 22:
"A great deal of excellent humour was expended on the perplexities of mine host." — 1824, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], Tales of a Traveller, (please specify |part=1 to 4), Philadelphia, Pa.: H[enry] C[harles] Carey & I[saac] Lea, […], →OCLC:
"They stayed together during three dances, went out on to the terrace, explored wherever they were permitted to explore, paid two visits to the buffet, and enjoyed themselves much in the same way as if they had been school-children surreptitiously breaking loose from an assembly of grown-ups. The boy became volubly friendly and bubbling over with unexpected humour and high spirits." — 1909 September 9, Archibald Marshall [pseudonym; Arthur Hammond Marshall], “A Court Ball”, in The Squire’s Daughter, London: Methuen & Co. […], →OCLC, page 9:
"Charles had not been employed above six months at Darracott Place, but he was not such a whopstraw as to make the least noise in the performance of his duties when his lordship was out of humour." — 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax:

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CEFR Practice Quiz
The British ____ in the play relied on witty wordplay and irony.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Laughter is often said to be the best medicine for those with a good sense of ____.

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