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Meaning of humor in English

  1. Pronunciation

    /ˈ(h)jumər/

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  1. Verb

    humor

    Definitions

    1. put into a good mood
  2. Noun

    humor

    Etymology

    Middle English: via Old French from Latin humor‘moisture’, from humere (see humid). The original sense was ‘bodily fluid’ (surviving in aqueous humour and vitreous humour); it was used specifically for any of the cardinal humors (humor (sense 3 of the noun)), whence ‘mental disposition’ (thought to be caused by the relative proportions of the humors). This led, in the 16th century, to the senses ‘mood’ (humor (sense 2 of the noun)) and ‘whim’, hence to humour someone ‘to indulge a person's whim’. humor (sense 1 of the noun) dates from the late 16th century

    Definitions

    1. a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
  3. 2. the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous

    Examples

    • « she didn't appreciate my humor »
    • « you can't survive in the army without a sense of humor »
  4. 3. a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling

    Examples

    • « whether he praised or cursed me depended on his temper at the time »
    • « he was in a bad humor »
  5. 4. the quality of being funny

    Examples

    • « I fail to see the humor in it »
  6. 5. (Middle Ages) one of the four fluids in the body whose balance was believed to determine your emotional and physical state

    Examples

    • « the humors are blood and phlegm and yellow and black bile »
  7. 6. the liquid parts of the body

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