different between preposterous vs comical

English

Alternative forms

• præposterous (archaic)

Etymology

From Latin praeposterus (“with the hinder part before, reversed, inverted, perverted”), from prae (“before”) + posterus (“coming after”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /p???p?st???s/, /p???p?st??s/, /p??-/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /p???p?st???s/, /p???p?st??s/

Adjective

preposterous (comparative more preposterous, superlative most preposterous)

1. Absurd, or contrary to common sense.
   • 2016 January 30, "America deserves more from presidential hopefuls," The National (retrieved 31 January 2016):

     Democrats, too, must be criticised. While they have not made preposterous statements or been threatening or demagogic, they, all too often, have come up short, failing to propose new ideas that can help unwind conflicts raging across the Middle East.

Synonyms

• absurd
• foolish
• irrational
• nonsensical
• See also Thesaurus:absurd

Translations

See also

• topsy-turvy
• upside down

Further reading

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

English

Etymology

comic +? -al

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?k?m?k?l/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?k?m?k?l/

Adjective

comical (comparative more comical, superlative most comical)

1. (archaic) Originally, relating to comedy.

2. Funny, whimsically amusing.

3. Laughable; ridiculous.
   • 2016 January 30, "Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Nomination," The New York Times (retrieved 30 January 2016):

     Mr. Sanders has scored some rhetorical points against Mrs. Clinton for her longstanding ties to Wall Street, but she has responded well, and it would be comical to watch any of the Republican candidates try to make that case, given that they are all virtually tied to, or actually part of, the business establishment.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:funny
• (comedy): comic, comedic

Derived terms

• comicality
• comically

Translations

See also

• comic

Anagrams

• Climaco