joke

[johk]

noun

1. something said or done to provoke laughter or cause amusement, as a witticism, a short and amusing anecdote, or a prankish act.

   He tells very funny jokes. She played a joke on him.

   Synonyms: raillery, sally, quirk, quip, prank, jape, gag, wisecrack

2. something that is amusing or ridiculous, especially because of being ludicrously inadequate or a sham; a thing, situation, or person laughed at rather than taken seriously; farce.

   Their pretense of generosity is a joke. An officer with no ability to command is a joke.

3. a matter that need not be taken very seriously; trifling matter.

   The loss was no joke.

4. something that does not present the expected challenge; something very easy.

   The test was a joke for the whole class.

5. practical joke.

verb (used without object)

joked, joking 

1. to speak or act in a playful or merry way.

   He was always joking with us.

2. to say something in fun or teasing rather than in earnest; be facetious.

   He didn't really mean it, he was only joking.

verb (used with object)

joked, joking 

1. to subject to jokes; make fun of; tease.

2. to obtain by joking.

   The comedian joked coins from the audience.

joke

/ dʒəʊk /

noun

1. a humorous anecdote

2. something that is said or done for fun; prank

3. a ridiculous or humorous circumstance

4. a person or thing inspiring ridicule or amusement; butt

5. a matter to be joked about or ignored

6. seriously: said to recall a discussion to seriousness after there has been joking

7. something very serious

verb

1. (intr) to tell jokes

2. (intr) to speak or act facetiously or in fun

3. to make fun of (someone); tease; kid

Other Word Forms

• jokingly adverb
• jokeless adjective
• half-joking adjective
• half-jokingly adverb
• unjoking adjective
• unjokingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of joke¹

First recorded in 1660–70, joke is from the Latin word jocus “jest”

Word History and Origins

Origin of joke¹

C17: from Latin jocus a jest

Idioms and Phrases

see crack a joke; dirty joke; no joke; sick joke; standing joke; take a joke.

Synonym Study

Joke, jest refer to something said (or done) in sport, or to cause amusement. A joke is something said or done for the sake of exciting laughter; it may be raillery, a witty remark, or a prank or trick: to tell a joke. Jest, today a more formal word, nearly always refers to joking language and is more suggestive of scoffing or ridicule than is joke : to speak in jest.

Example Sentences

The pair immediately launch into a spirited, rhythmic back-and-forth, playfully bouncing around ideas, making jokes and finishing each other’s sentences.

From Los Angeles Times

“I’m a real Disney head,” he says, joking that such a declaration may not make his Universal partners happy.

From Los Angeles Times

Andy looks like a human adult but behaves like an awkward, stammering middle-schooler eager to ingratiate himself with his peers by telling toothless jokes straight out of a Scholastic pun manual.

From Salon

Some have even apparently imitated Hervé Villechaize shouting “Da plane, boss, da plane,” as they refer to Vance, though I’m told “discretion is advised” when and where such jokes are made.

From Salon

A standing joke between us is Gail saying, “And there’s another problem.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• antic 
• farce 
• gag 
• humor 
• laugh 
• one-liner 
• parody 
• prank 
• pun 
• stunt 
• trick 
• wisecrack