comic
B1Neutral to informal
Definition
Meaning
Relating to comedy; causing laughter or amusement.
A professional entertainer who tells jokes and performs comedy; a periodical containing comic strips; the genre of literature, film, or performance intended to provoke laughter.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a noun, it can refer to a person (comedian), a publication (comic book), or the art form itself. As an adjective, it describes something humorous or related to comedy. The sense of 'funny' can sometimes imply a lack of seriousness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'comic' as a noun more commonly refers to a comedian or a humorous publication (e.g., 'a children's comic'). In the US, 'comic' as a noun strongly associates with 'comic book' (the illustrated publication). The term 'comic strip' is used in both.
Connotations
In both varieties, the adjective can imply something is amusingly absurd or trivial. In US English, 'comic book' has strong cultural associations with superhero genres.
Frequency
The noun sense for a comedian is slightly more frequent in UK English. The compound 'comic book' is significantly more frequent in US English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[comic + noun] (comic actor)[verb + comic] (become a comic)[adjective + comic] (truly comic)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “comic relief”
- “the comic turn of events”
- “a comic opera”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in entertainment industries (e.g., 'comic book publishing', 'comic convention').
Academic
Used in literary, film, and cultural studies to analyse genre (e.g., 'comic theory', 'the comic tradition').
Everyday
Common for describing something funny or referring to comedians and comic books.
Technical
In printing/publishing for 'comic sans' (font) or describing panel layout in graphic narratives.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A - 'comic' is not standardly used as a verb.
American English
- N/A - 'comic' is not standardly used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A - 'comic' is not standardly used as an adverb. Use 'comically'.
- N/A
American English
- N/A - 'comic' is not standardly used as an adverb. Use 'comically'.
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The play had a wonderfully comic second act.
- His comic delivery had the audience in stitches.
American English
- She has a real comic talent for impressions.
- The situation turned from serious to comic in seconds.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He reads a comic every week.
- The film was very comic and happy.
- My brother wants to be a stand-up comic.
- She bought a vintage comic book at the market.
- The novel is praised for its sharp comic observations on modern life.
- The comic relief provided by the side character was perfectly timed.
- The playwright masterfully blended the comic and the tragic within a single scene.
- His analysis deconstructs the comic archetypes prevalent in 20th-century graphic novels.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a COMIC BOOK - it's meant to be funny and make you laugh (COMIC).
Conceptual Metaphor
LIGHTNESS IS FUNNY (comic relief 'lightens' a serious mood).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'комик' (which is correct for a comedian) when you mean 'смешной' (funny). The Russian 'комикс' is a direct borrowing for 'comic book'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'comic' as a countable noun for all types of humour (e.g., 'He has a good comic' instead of 'He has a good sense of humour').
- Confusing 'comic' (funny) with 'cosmic' (relating to the universe).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'comic' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Comic' is more often used attributively (before a noun: comic actor, comic strip) and can be a noun. 'Comical' is used predicatively (after a verb: The situation was comical) and often describes something amusing in an odd or ridiculous way.
Yes, 'comic' or 'comical' can describe an absurd or ridiculous situation that is funny to observers, even if it wasn't intended to be humorous (e.g., 'a comic misunderstanding').
It is neutral. It is acceptable in formal writing when discussing the genre of comedy (e.g., 'comic literature'), but synonyms like 'humorous' or 'amusing' might be preferred in very formal contexts over the adjective describing something funny.
It refers to a humorous scene, dialogue, or character introduced into a serious or tragic work to provide a temporary break from tension and heighten the emotional impact by contrast.