risibility: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, literary, academic
Quick answer
What does “risibility” mean?
The quality or state of being easily provoked to laughter or inclined to laugh.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The quality or state of being easily provoked to laughter or inclined to laugh.
The capacity for laughter; the tendency to find things humorous. Can also refer to the ability of a situation, text, or argument to be perceived as laughable or ridiculous.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both variants use the same form.
Connotations
Slightly archaic or elevated in both varieties. More likely encountered in writing than speech.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both, but marginally more likely in British academic or literary texts.
Grammar
How to Use “risibility” in a Sentence
the risibility of [abstract noun]appeal to [possessive] risibilityVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “risibility” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A - noun only
American English
- N/A - noun only
adverb
British English
- N/A - noun only
American English
- N/A - noun only
adjective
British English
- N/A - noun only. The related adjective is 'risible'.
- His risible attempt at an apology only highlighted his lack of sincerity.
American English
- N/A - noun only. The related adjective is 'risible'.
- The proposal was so flawed it was risible.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in humanities, especially philosophy (discussing human nature) and literary criticism (analysing comedic effect).
Everyday
Extremely rare; would sound overly formal or pretentious.
Technical
Not used in scientific/technical fields.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “risibility”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “risibility”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “risibility”
- Mispronouncing as /raɪzəˈbɪləti/ (like 'rise').
- Using it as a synonym for 'a joke' or 'a funny event'. It is a quality, not an instance.
- Misspelling as 'risablity' or 'risibility'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency, formal word primarily found in academic or literary writing.
'Laughter' is the actual act or sound. 'Risibility' is the inherent tendency or capacity to laugh.
It would sound very formal and possibly pretentious. It's better to use phrases like 'sense of humour' or 'ability to laugh'.
The related adjective is 'risible', which means 'such as to provoke laughter' or 'laughable'.
The quality or state of being easily provoked to laughter or inclined to laugh.
Risibility is usually formal, literary, academic in register.
Risibility: in British English it is pronounced /ˌrɪz.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌrɪz.əˈbɪl.ə.t̬i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[nothing specific for this noun]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'visibility' – but for 'risible' things. If something is *risible* (laughable), your *risibility* is your ability to see it as such.
Conceptual Metaphor
LAUGHTER IS A FLUID / LAUGHTER IS A RELEASE. Risibility is conceptualised as a container or capacity that can be filled, triggered, or appealed to.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'risibility' be most appropriately used?