I. ˈhyü-mər, ˈyü- noun
Etymology: Middle English humour, from Anglo-French umor, umour, from Medieval Latin & Latin; Medieval Latin humor, from Latin humor, umor moisture; akin to Old Norse vǫkr damp, Latin humēre to be moist, and perhaps to Greek hygros wet
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : a normal functioning bodily semifluid or fluid (as the blood or lymph)
b. : a secretion (as a hormone) that is an excitant of activity
2.
a. in medieval physiology : a fluid or juice of an animal or plant ; specifically : one of the four fluids entering into the constitution of the body and determining by their relative proportions a person's health and temperament
b. : characteristic or habitual disposition or bent : temperament
of cheerful humor
c. : an often temporary state of mind imposed especially by circumstances
was in no humor to listen
d. : a sudden, unpredictable, or unreasoning inclination : whim
the uncertain humor s of nature
3.
a. : that quality which appeals to a sense of the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous
b. : the mental faculty of discovering, expressing, or appreciating the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous
c. : something that is or is designed to be comical or amusing
Synonyms: see wit
•
- out of humor
II. transitive verb
( hu·mored ; hu·mor·ing ˈhyüm-riŋ, ˈyüm-, ˈhyü-mə-, ˈyü-)
Date: 1588
1. : to soothe or content by indulgence
2. : to adapt oneself to
Synonyms: see indulge