different between hilarious vs jocular

English

Etymology

From Latin hilaris (“cheerful”), from Ancient Greek ?????? (hilarós, “cheerful, merry”), from ????? (hílaos, “propitious, gracious, kind”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /h??l???i?s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /h??le?i?s/, /ha??le?i?s/
• (New England) IPA^(key): /h??læ?i?s/, /ha??læ?i?s/
• (Mary–marry–merry distinction) (New England)
• Rhymes: -??ri?s

Adjective

hilarious (comparative more hilarious, superlative most hilarious)

1. Very funny; causing great merriment and laughter.

2. Full of hilarity; merry.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:funny

Derived terms

• hilarity
• hilariously
• hilariousness

Related terms

• exhilarate
• exhilaration
• Hilary

Translations

English

Etymology

From Latin iocularis, from ioculus (“a little jest”), diminutive of iocus (“a jest”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?d??kj?l?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?d??kj?l?/

Adjective

jocular (comparative more jocular, superlative most jocular)

1. Humorous, amusing or joking.

   He was in a jocular mood all day.

   All we had was a short and jocular conversation.

   • 1865, Horatio Alger, Paul Prescott's Charge, chapter IV:

     From the tone of the speaker, the last words might be understood to be jocular.

   • 1896, H. G. Wells, The Island of Dr. Moreau, chapter 15:

     Sometimes he would notice it, pat it, call it half-mocking, half-jocular names, and so make it caper with extraordinary delight.

   • 1910, Stephen Leacock, The Awful Fate of Melpomenus Jones:

     Then papa began to get very tired of Jones, and fidgeted and finally said, with jocular irony, that Jones had better stay all night, they could give him a shake-down.

Synonyms

• (humorous): jokey, silly, joculous; see also Thesaurus:witty

Antonyms

• (humorous): heartfelt, serious, sincere

Derived terms

Related terms

• joke

Translations

Further reading

• jocular in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• jocular in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• jocular at OneLook Dictionary Search