joke

Meaning

Noun

1. An amusing story.
2. Something said or done for amusement, not in seriousness.
3. (figuratively) The root cause or main issue, especially an unexpected one
4. (figuratively) A laughably worthless thing or person; a sham.
5. (figuratively) Something that is far easier or far less challenging than expected.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To do or say something for amusement rather than seriously.
2. (intransitive) To dupe in a friendly manner for amusement; to mess with, play with.
3. (dated, transitive) To make merry with; to make jokes upon; to rally.

Synonyms

jest

gag

banter

tease

laugh

😆

prank

ridicule

kid

🧒

fun

trick

pleasantry

jape

play

wisecrack

anecdote

witticism

sport

funny story

quip

practical joke

mock

frolic

gambol

make fun

kidding

joking

lark

antic

caper

deride

tell a joke

game

crack a joke

laughter

waggery

make fun of

wit

humour

fool

jocularity

teasing

put-on

amuse

entertain

caprice

play around

mockery

nonsense

playful

pun

Translations

plaisanterie

🤣

Witz

🤣

broma

🤣

plaisanter

🤣

scherzo

🤣

Scherz

🤣

scherzare

🤣

blague

👝

grap

🤣

Spaß

chiste

🤣

bromear

🤣

scherzen

🤣

piada

🤣

Pronounced as (IPA)

/d͡ʒəʊk/

Etymology

Cognate with Breton: yezh

Cognate with Welsh: iaith

Cognate with German: Beichte

Cognate with French: jeu

Cognate with Italian: gioco

Cognate with Portuguese: jogo

Cognate with Spanish: juego

Cognate with Romanian: joc

Cognate with English: Yule

Cognate with Danish: Jule

Cognate with Norwegian Bokmål: Jul

Cognate with Swedish: Jul

Cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk: jol

In summary

From Latin iocus (“joke, jest, pastime”), from Proto-Italic *jokos (“word, (playful?) saying”), from Proto-Indo-European *yokos (“word, utterance”), from ultimate root Proto-Indo-European *yek- (“to speak, utter”) (of which distant cognates include Proto-Celtic *yextis (“language”) (Breton yezh (“language”) and Welsh iaith (“language”)) and German Beichte (“confession”)). Cognate with French jeu, Italian gioco, Portuguese jogo, Spanish juego, Romanian joc, English Yule, Danish Jule, Norwegian Bokmål Jul, Swedish Jul, and Norwegian Nynorsk jol.