Dictionary

jocoserious en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˌd͡ʒəʊkəʊˈsɪəɹiəs/
• (General-American) audio
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Blend of jocose + serious.

Meanings

1. Simultaneously jocular and serious; mixing mirth with serious matters.
   • “His genius was jocular; but, when disposed, he could be very serious.” It is a part of his joco-serious vein of late. 1885, L.G.W., “Review of Current Literature”, in The Unitarian Review and Religious Magazine, volume XXIII:
   • Our proposed removal to Mr. Small's was, as you suppose, a jest, or rather a joco-serious matter. We never looked upon it as entirely feasible, yet we saw in it something so like practicability, that we did not esteem it altogether unworthy of our attention. It was one of those projects which people of lively imaginations play with, and admire for a few days, and then break in pieces. 1880, Goldwin Smith, chapter VII, in Cowper:
   • Was the guest conscious of and did he acknowledge these marks of hospitality? His attention was directed to them by his host jocosely, and he accepted them seriously as they drank in jocoserious silence Epps's massproduct, the creature cocoa. 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses, Chapter 17:

Forms

Synonyms

half joking · semiserious