Dictionary

laughable en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈlɑːfəbl̩/ (UK)
• /ˈlæfəbl̩/ (UK)
• (Southern-England) audio
• ˈlăfəbl̩ (US)
• /ˈlæfəbl̩/ (US)
• /ˈlaːfəbl̩/ (Australia)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *klek- Proto-Germanic *hlahjaną Proto-West Germanic *hlahhjan Old English hliehhander. Old English hlæhhan Middle English laughen, laghen English laugh Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Italic *-ðlom Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English laughable From laugh + -able.

Meanings

1. (archaic) Fitted to excite laughter; humorous.
   • At this our first dinner at the Government House a very laughable incident occurred. 1808–10, William Hickey, Memoirs of a Georgian Rake, Folio Society 1995, p. 91
2. Worthless; worthy of contempt or derision.
   • “Maybe it made them feel better about their lives that a young prince’s life was laughable. Never mind that my mother didn’t meet Major Hewitt until long after I was born,” he wrote. 2023 January 6, “Prince Harry book Spare: King Charles made ‘sadistic’ joke about Prince Harry’s ‘real’ dad”, in NZ Herald:
   • It would be difficult, for example, to imagine a bigger, more obvious subject for comedy than the laughable self-delusion of washed-up celebrities, especially if the washed-up celebrity in question is Adam West, a camp icon who can go toe to toe with William Shatner as the king of winking self-parody. 2012 June 3, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Mr. Plow” (season 4, episode 9; originally aired 11/19/1992)”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):

Forms

Deriveds

laughableness · unlaughable · laughably

Relateds

jocular

Synonyms

plebeian · laugh-out-loud · reptitious · chucklesome · scald · ignominious · laughable · disdainable · punk · deplorable · weak · carrion · unsophisticated · derisible · sorry · thigh-slapping · pathetic · joky · filarious · jokes · abject · reptile · lame · cringing · unmentionable · paltry · outrageous · comic · shabby · uncommendable · deridable · rib-tickling · humorous · reprehensive · uncool · pitiable · ugly · unworthy · funny · contemptible · risible · damnable · amusing · execrable · miserable · jocular · pitiful · lousy · derisible · comedic · uproarious · obscene · gut-busting · roynish · cheap · scabbed · funnisome · risible · humourful · reprehensible · sordid · unwashed · low · ridiculous · droll · sidesplitting · scornworthy · frolicsome · base · jokesome · pissass · howlarious · comical · thalian · priceless · ludicrous · hylical · wacky · beggarly · scurvy · vulgar · scummy · degraded · tattyfilarious · blameworthy · inglorious · vile · mean-spirited · despicable · playful · zany · choical · sleazy · putrid · wretched · reptilian · shameful · screaming · pathetic · ignoble · dirty · shit · sniggersome · laughable · risible · disgraceful · dedecorous · groveling · laughworthy · worthless · hilarious · disreputable · hylic · discreditable · filthy · loathsome · mean · comical · droll · slavish · slimy · despisable · risible · dishonorable · trashy · joculatory · hysterical

Translations (53)

de lächerlich (worthy of derision) · ru смешно́й (fitted to excite laughter) · la rīdiculus (fitted to excite laughter) · az gülünc (worthy of derision) · de lächerlich (fitted to excite laughter) · de zum Lachen (worthy of derision) · pt risível (fitted to excite laughter) · nl belachelijk (fitted to excite laughter) · pdt lachrich (worthy of derision) · ru смехотво́рный (fitted to excite laughter) · sh smešno (worthy of derision) · hi हास्यस्पद (fitted to excite laughter) · tr gülünç (fitted to excite laughter) · fr risible (worthy of derision) · sh smešno (fitted to excite laughter) · cs směšný (fitted to excite laughter) · de lachhaft (worthy of derision) · kw hwarthus (fitted to excite laughter) · la rīdiculus (worthy of derision) · da latterlig (fitted to excite laughter) · sh smiješno (fitted to excite laughter) · ja 人笑わせ (fitted to excite laughter) · sh smiješno (worthy of derision) · uk смішни́й (worthy of derision) · sh ridikulozno (fitted to excite laughter) · pap ridíkulo (fitted to excite laughter) · kw hwarthus (worthy of derision) · be сме́шны (fitted to excite laughter) · hu nevetséges (worthy of derision) · hu mulatságos (fitted to excite laughter) · grc γελοῖος (fitted to excite laughter) · fi huvittava (fitted to excite laughter) · fr ridicule (worthy of derision) · el αστείος (fitted to excite laughter) · is hlægilegur (fitted to excite laughter) · pt ridículo (fitted to excite laughter) · pl śmieszny (fitted to excite laughter) · uk смішни́й (fitted to excite laughter) · fi naurattava (fitted to excite laughter) · fr risible (fitted to excite laughter) · el γελοίος (fitted to excite laughter) · eo ridinda (fitted to excite laughter) · pdt lachrich (fitted to excite laughter) · de lachhaft (fitted to excite laughter) · cmn 可笑 (fitted to excite laughter) · da komisk (fitted to excite laughter) · sh ridikulozno (worthy of derision) · it risibile (fitted to excite laughter) · lb lächerlech (fitted to excite laughter) · ja 可笑しい (fitted to excite laughter) · sv skrattretande (worthy of derision) · it ridicolo (fitted to excite laughter) · bg смешен (fitted to excite laughter)