jocular

adjective

given to, characterized by, intended for, or suited to joking or jesting; waggish; facetious: jocular remarks about opera stars.

Origin:
1620–30; < Latin joculāris, equivalent to jocul(us) little joke (joc(us) joke + -ulus -ule) + -āris -ar¹

Related forms

joc·u·lar·ly, adverb

o·ver·joc·u·lar, adjective

o·ver·joc·u·lar·ly, adverb

sem·i·joc·u·lar, adjective

sem·i·joc·u·lar·ly, adverb

Can be confused: jocose, jocular, jocund, jovial (see synonym study at jovial).

Synonyms
See jovial.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To jocular

Relevant Questions

What Is Jocularity?

00:10

Jocular is always a great word to know.

So is interrobang. Does it mean:

an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.

a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question.

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Collins

World English Dictionary

jocular (ˈdʒɒkjʊlə)

—*adj*
1.	characterized by joking and good humour
2.	meant lightly or humorously; facetious

[C17: from Latin joculāris, from joculus little joke]

jocularity

—n

'jocularly

—*adv*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

jocular

1626, from L. jocularis "funny, comic," from joculus, dim. of jocus (see joke). Implies evasion of an issue by a joke.

Example sentences

Most humor that reaches us is merely jocularity, and it is well to be jocular

only when really funny.

He could be jocular and also impatient.

Why the repeated failure of their jocular invective hasn't led them to

discontinue it might be something they should consider.

I'm feeling jocular, even if the end of spring break is nigh.

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Matching Quote

"Humor inspires sympathetic, good-natured laughter and is favored by the "healing power" gang. Wit goes for the jugular, not the jocular, and it's the opposite of football; instead of building character, it tears it down."

-Florence King