noun / verb
joke
JOHK/dʒəʊk/
Something presented for amusement rather than serious acceptance.
The person tells a joke that makes the gathered friends laugh.
Etymology
Latin iocus covered both a jest and playful amusement. English joke carries that playful sense into something said or done to make people laugh, not just a spoken quip.
In context
it was a little joke for a little while. I said I'd say, you know, he's young enough to be my son and he'd say in a comments "Hey Dad", you know.
More examples
- I'm only joking about quitting my job.
- She jokes that her cat owns the house.
- With its broken locks, the building's security is a joke.
Forms
joke · jokes · joked · joking
joker noun — A person who often makes playful remarks.
jokingly adverb — In a playful rather than serious way.