different between preposterous vs funny

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

Pronunciation

• (US) enPR: f?n??, IPA^(key): /?f?ni/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?f?ni/, /?f?n?/
• (Northern England) IPA^(key): /?f?n?/
• Rhymes: -?ni

Etymology 1

From fun +? -y.

Adjective

funny (comparative funnier, superlative funniest)

1. Amusing; humorous; comical. [from the mid-18th c.]

   When I went to the circus, I only found the clowns funny.

2. Strange or unusual, often implying unpleasant. [from the early 19th c.]

   The milk smelt funny so I poured it away.

   I've got a funny feeling that this isn't going to work.

3. (Britain, informal) Showing unexpected resentment.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:funny
• See also Thesaurus:strange

Derived terms

Related terms

• fun

Translations

Noun

funny (plural funnies)

1. (informal) A joke.
2. (informal) A comic strip.

Translations

Adverb

funny (not comparable)

1. (nonstandard) In an unusual manner; strangely.

Etymology 2

Perhaps a jocular use of funny. See above.

Noun

funny (plural funnies)

1. (Britain) A narrow clinker-built boat for sculling.

Translations