facetious
Americanadjective
-
not meant to be taken seriously or literally.
a facetious remark.
-
amusing; humorous.
-
lacking serious intent; concerned with something nonessential, amusing, or frivolous.
a facetious person.
adjective
-
characterized by levity of attitude and love of joking
a facetious person
-
jocular or amusing, esp at inappropriate times
facetious remarks
Usage
A term labeled Facetious in this dictionary is one that is used consciously for humorous or playful effect.
Related Words
See humorous 1.
Other Word Forms
- facetiously adverb
- facetiousness noun
- nonfacetious adjective
- nonfacetiously adverb
- nonfacetiousness noun
- unfacetious adjective
- unfacetiously adverb
- unfacetiousness noun
Etymology
Origin of facetious
First recorded in 1585–95; from Middle French facecieux, facetieux, from facetie “a jest,” from Latin facētia “a jest, witticism” ( see facetiae) + -ious
Compare meaning
How does facetious compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Don’t take a facetious comment seriously because it’s supposed to be funny. Anything facetious is a joke. If you've just won a hotdog-eating contest and someone asks if you'd like to go out for burgers, they’re probably being facetious. If you forget how to spell facetious, notice that it has all five vowels in a row. The word facetious comes from the French facétie, “joke,” and it has come to describe a joke with a little drop of sarcasm. It used to simply mean “funny and witty,” but now it often implies that someone is being inappropriately funny about a serious topic.
Vocabulary lists containing facetious
100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 Words to Make You Sound Smart
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
With such a heavy subject matter, Clunes says he deals with it by being a "little facetious", despite taking his work seriously.
From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026
D’Aquino’s defense: She had been slyly subverting the propaganda machine the whole time, entertaining Americans with facetious language no one could take seriously and introducing upbeat American music the GIs actually loved.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025
It’s impossible to write those words without sounding facetious, but, reader: This time they fit.
From Salon • Nov. 26, 2023
“I’m grateful that there is still room in the world for something facetious to occur now and then.”
From Seattle Times • Mar. 24, 2023
He put his hands on my shoulders, and said, in tones facetious, “See, Prince O., we’re alike in more than just our skin.”
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
