humour: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to formal. Noun usage is core. The verb form is more formal/literary, especially outside British English.
Quick answer
What does “humour” mean?
The quality of being amusing, especially in thought, speech or writing.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The quality of being amusing, especially in thought, speech or writing; the ability to perceive, enjoy, or express what is funny.
A person's particular state of mind or temperament at a given time, often temporary (e.g., 'in a good humour'); historically, one of the four cardinal bodily fluids (blood, phlegm, choler, melancholy) thought to determine a person's physical and mental constitution.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK 'humour', US 'humor'. The verb 'to humour/humor someone' is used in both, but is markedly more common and idiomatic in UK English. In US English, the noun 'humor' dominates.
Connotations
The verb in UK English often carries a slight nuance of kindly indulgence or pacification. In US English, the verb can sound slightly old-fashioned or literary.
Frequency
The noun is high-frequency in both varieties. The verb is mid-to-low frequency overall but significantly more common in UK English.
Grammar
How to Use “humour” in a Sentence
have + a sense of humoursee + the humour in somethingappreciate + someone's humourhumour + [someone] (verb)be + in a [good/bad] humourVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “humour” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She just humoured her grandfather and listened to his old stories again.
- To avoid an argument, I decided to humour his strange request.
American English
- He humored his daughter by pretending the doll was real.
- I'll humor you this time, but we need a proper plan tomorrow.
adverb
British English
- He smiled humourously. (Standard spelling 'humorously')
- She replied humourously, defusing the tension.
American English
- He remarked humorously that the plan was ambitious.
- The character is humorously inept.
adjective
British English
- He gave a humourous account of the meeting. (Note: 'humorous' is the standard adjectival spelling everywhere)
- The article had a gently humourous tone.
American English
- She wrote a humorous take on office life.
- His humorous remarks lightened the mood.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in contexts of workplace culture ('a company with a good sense of humour'), leadership ('humour your team's ideas'), or marketing ('humorous advertising').
Academic
Analysed as a literary/rhetorical device, a psychological trait, or a sociological phenomenon. The historical 'four humours' is a technical term in history of medicine.
Everyday
Most common for discussing what is funny, someone's personality ('He has a great humour'), or managing moods ('I humoured her request').
Technical
In medicine, 'humour' refers to bodily fluids (e.g., 'aqueous humour' in the eye). In psychology, refers to temperament/mood.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “humour”
- Incorrect: *'He made a humour about the weather.' (Use 'joke').
- Incorrect: *'I am in a good humour today.' (Sounds archaic/literary; use 'in a good mood').
- Spelling confusion: mixing 'humour' (UK) and 'humor' (US) in the same text.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Humour' is the general quality of being funny or the capacity to appreciate it. A 'joke' is a specific short story or remark with a funny ending (punchline). You 'tell a joke', but you 'have a sense of humour'.
Both are correct. 'Humour' is the standard spelling in British and Commonwealth English. 'Humor' is the standard spelling in American English. Be consistent within a document.
Yes, but this meaning ('in a bad/good humour') is now archaic or literary. In modern everyday English, use 'mood' (e.g., 'in a good mood'). The old meaning survives in the verb 'to humour' (to accommodate someone's mood).
It means to politely agree or go along with someone's wishes, ideas, or mood, often even if you think they are silly or unfounded, to keep them happy or avoid trouble. Structure: humour + person/whim (e.g., 'I humoured my friend's plan').
The quality of being amusing, especially in thought, speech or writing.
Humour is usually neutral to formal. noun usage is core. the verb form is more formal/literary, especially outside british english. in register.
Humour: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhjuː.mə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhjuː.mɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “sense of humour failure (BrE)”
- “out of humour (archaic/literary for 'in a bad mood')”
- “gallows humour”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a HUGE ROOM (sounds like 'humour') full of people laughing. If you want to keep the peace in the room, you HUMOUR them.
Conceptual Metaphor
HUMOUR IS A FLUID (e.g., 'His humour overflowed', 'a well of humour'), HUMOUR IS A FILTER/VEHICLE (e.g., 'seeing the humour in a situation', 'conveyed with humour'), MOOD IS A FLUID ('in a bad humour').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the verb 'to humour' used CORRECTLY?