Dictionary

risible en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈɹɪzɪbəl/
• /ˈɹaɪzɪbəl/

Etymology

From Middle French risible and directly from Late Latin rīsibilis, from Latin rīsus (“laughter”) + -ibilis, from the perfect passive participle of rīdeō (“laugh”).

Meanings

1. Of or pertaining to laughter.
   • the risible muscles
   • A joke merely affected her with silent convulsive twitchings, as though the risible faculties struggled somewhere within her but could not bring the laugh to birth. 1912, Arthur Quiller-Couch, chapter 20, in Hocken and Hunken:
2. Provoking laughter; ludicrous; ridiculous; humorously insignificant.
   • "[…] I hope you find nothing risible in my complaisance?" replied his companion, something jealously. 1822, [Walter Scott], chapter XI, in Peveril of the Peak. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 277:
   • Whelan called the offer "risible", describing it as a "land grab for all the terms and conditions we have negotiating over the years". He demanded a no-strings pay offer that recognises the "significant cost of living increases" since the last pay rise in 2019. 2024 May 1, Mel Holley, “Network News: New action from ASLEF to hit Bank Holiday services”, in RAIL, number 1008, page 14:
   • Do you find it risible when I say the name, 'Biggus Dickus'? 1979, Monty Python's Life of Brian, spoken by Pontius Pilate (Michael Palin):
3. (of a person) Easily laughing; prone to laughter.
   • She was half risible, half concerned. 1897, Thomas Hardy, chapter 8, in The Well-Beloved:
   • We are got indeed into a merry world, Laughing is our main buſiniſs; as if becauſe it has bin made part of the Definition of man, that he his Riſible, his man-hood conſiſted in nothing elſe. 1674, Anonymous [Richard Allestree?], “Of Scoffing and Deriſion”, in The Government of the Tongue, At the Theater in Oxford, page 119:

Forms

Deriveds

irrisible · risibleness · risibly

Relateds

derisible · deridable

Synonyms

funny (provoking laughter) · ludicrous (provoking laughter) · laughable (provoking laughter)

Translations (35)

ru смешной (provoking laughter) · grc γέλοιος (provoking laughter) · cs humorný (provoking laughter) · sv skrattretande (provoking laughter) · de lachlustig (prone to laughter) · cy chwerthinllyd (provoking laughter) · it risibile (provoking laughter) · ru смеховой (pertaining to laughter) · fi naurettava (provoking laughter) · mk смешно (provoking laughter) · pt risível (provoking laughter) · la rīsibilis (provoking laughter) · cs veselý (prone to laughter) · de lachhaft (provoking laughter) · es risible (prone to laughter) · fi hupaisa (provoking laughter) · bg смехови (pertaining to laughter) · cs směšný (provoking laughter) · pl wesoły (prone to laughter) · de Lach- (pertaining to laughter) · pl śmiechowy (pertaining to laughter) · es risible (pertaining to laughter) · dsb směšny (provoking laughter) · es risible (provoking laughter) · fi huvittava (provoking laughter) · sv löjlig (provoking laughter) · bg смехотворен (provoking laughter) · ga áiféiseach (provoking laughter) · ru смешливый (prone to laughter) · fr risible (provoking laughter) · pl śmieszny (provoking laughter) · it risibile (pertaining to laughter) · tr gülünç (provoking laughter) · hsb směšny (provoking laughter) · bg смешен (provoking laughter)