humor
HighNeutral to Formal (Noun), Formal (Verb, specific sense). Used across all registers, though specific uses (e.g., verb: 'to humour someone') are more formal.
Definition
Meaning
The quality of being amusing or comical.
A person's mood or state of mind; a body fluid in medieval physiology thought to determine one's health and temperament.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun. The verb meaning 'to comply with someone's mood or wishes' derives from the obsolete medical sense and is less common. In American English, 'humor' can also refer to a specific type of content (e.g., 'dry humor').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK 'humour', US 'humor'. The verb sense ('to comply with') is more common and slightly less formal in UK English.
Connotations
Largely identical, though the verb 'to humour' (UK)/'humor' (US) can imply mild indulgence or placation.
Frequency
Noun form is extremely high frequency in both. The verb form is moderately frequent in UK, low-to-moderate in US.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have + a/an + ADJ + humorsee the humor in + NOUN PHRASEhumor + PERSON (verb)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “out of humor (in a bad mood)”
- “sense of humor”
- “see the humor (in a situation)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe workplace culture or communication style ('a department known for its good humor').
Academic
Used in literary analysis, psychology (e.g., coping humor), and medical history (four humors).
Everyday
Extremely common for discussing what is funny, someone's mood, or as a verb ('I'll humor him').
Technical
In medicine, historical reference to bodily 'humors' (blood, phlegm, etc.). In media, a content genre.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She decided to humour her grandfather and listen to his story again.
- The manager humoured the client's unusual request to maintain goodwill.
American English
- Just humor him until the meeting is over.
- I humored her idea, though I knew it was impractical.
adverb
British English
- He said it humorlessly, with a completely straight face.
- She smiled humorously at the memory.
American English
- He replied humorlessly, missing the joke entirely.
- She remarked humorously on the situation.
adjective
British English
- He gave a humour-filled speech at the dinner.
- The article was a humour piece, not serious news.
American English
- She is known for her humor columns in the magazine.
- It was a humor piece, so don't take it literally.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The children's film had lots of humor.
- He is always in a good humor.
- I don't understand the humor in this TV show.
- She has a very dry sense of humor.
- The novel uses dark humor to tackle serious subjects.
- You have to humor her when she gets into one of those moods.
- His humor is often predicated on linguistic ambiguity and cultural references.
- The physician's diagnosis was based on the ancient theory of the four humours.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
HUMOR makes YOU (U) feel MORE (MOR) cheerful.
Conceptual Metaphor
HUMOR IS A LIQUID (e.g., 'His humor overflowed', 'dry humor', 'inject humor'). MOOD IS A FLUID BALANCE ('in good humor', 'out of humor').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'настроение' (mood) for all contexts. English 'humor' as 'mood' is archaic/formal ('He is in ill humor'). Use 'mood'.
- The English verb 'to humor (someone)' is closer to 'потакать' or 'поддакивать', not 'смешить'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He has a good humour of him.' Correct: 'He has a good sense of humor.'
- Spelling confusion between UK/US variants in formal writing.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'humor' used in its historical/medical sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Humor is broader, covering anything amusing. Wit specifically implies clever, quick, and often verbal humor, playing on words or ideas.
Not inherently negative, but it often implies indulging someone you mildly disagree with or find unreasonable. Context determines if it's patient or patronizing.
It follows the pattern of Latin-derived words ending in '-or' in American English (color, honor) often keeping '-our' in British English (colour, honour), a convention solidified in the 18th century.
Yes, overwhelmingly so (e.g., 'a sense of humor', 'full of humor'). It is rarely used in a countable way, except in the historical 'four humors' or informally to mean 'a type of humor' (e.g., 'a dark humor').
Collections
Part of a collection
Personality Traits
B1 · 36 words · Describing character and personal qualities.