different between ludicrous vs merry

English

Etymology

First attested in 1619. From Latin l?dicrus, from l?d? (“play”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?lu?.d?.k??s/, /?lju?.d?.k??s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?lu?.d?.k??s/

Adjective

ludicrous (comparative more ludicrous, superlative most ludicrous)

1. Idiotic or unthinkable, often to the point of being funny.

2. Amusing by being plainly incongruous or absurd.
   • 2014, Paul Doyle, "Southampton hammer eight past hapless Sunderland in barmy encounter", The Guardian, 18 October 2014:

     Five minutes later, Southampton tried to mount their first attack, but Wickham sabotaged the move by tripping the rampaging Nathaniel Clyne, prompting the referee, Andre Marriner, to issue a yellow card. That was a lone blemish on an otherwise tidy start by Poyet’s team – until, that is, the 12th minute, when Vergini produced a candidate for the most ludicrous own goal in Premier League history.

Synonyms

• (idiotic or unthinkable): laughable, ridiculous, risible

Related terms

• (idiotic or unthinkable): ludicrously, ludicrousness

Translations

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?m??i/
• (General American) enPR: m?r??, IPA^(key): /?m??i/, /?me??i/
• (Mary–marry–merry distinction)
• (Mary–marry–merry merger)
• Rhymes: -??i
• Hyphenation: mer?ry

Etymology 1

From Middle English mery, merie, mirie, myrie, murie, mur?e, from Old English meri?e, miri?e, myri?e, myre?e, myr?e (“pleasing, agreeable; pleasant, sweet, delightful; melodious”), from Proto-Germanic *murguz (“short, slow”), from Proto-Indo-European *mré??us (“short”). Cognate with Scots mery, mirry (“merry”), Middle Dutch mergelijc (“pleasant, agreeable, joyful”), Norwegian dialectal myrjel (“small object, figurine”), Latin brevis (“short, small, narrow, shallow”), Ancient Greek ?????? (brakhús, “short”). Doublet of brief.

Alternative forms

• merie, merrie, mery (obsolete)

Adjective

merry (comparative merrier, superlative merriest)

1. Jolly and full of high spirits; happy.
2. Festive and full of fun and laughter.
   • 1883, Howard Pyle, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood Chapter V

     If I have the chance, I will make our worshipful Sheriff pay right well for that which he hath done to me. Maybe I may bring him some time into Sherwood Forest and have him to a right merry feast with us.

3. Brisk

4. Causing laughter, mirth, gladness, or delight.
5. (euphemistic) drunk; tipsy

Synonyms

• (jolly): cheerful, content, ecstatic, exultant, gay, happy, jovial, joyful, pleased; see also Thesaurus:happy
• (festive): convivial, gay, jovial
• (brisk): energetic, lively, spirited; see also Thesaurus:active
• (causing laughter): delightful, gladful
• (drunk): lushy, muzzy, squiffy; see also Thesaurus:drunk

Antonyms

• (jolly): miserable, unhappy

Derived terms

• Merry Christmas

Translations

Derived terms

• merrier
• merrily
• merriment
• merriness

Related terms

• mirth

Etymology 2

French merise

Noun

merry (plural merries)

1. An English wild cherry.

Anagrams

• Rymer