risible

[ riz-uh-buhl ]

adjective

1. causing or capable of causing laughter; laughable; ludicrous.

   Synonyms: comical, humorous, funny

2. having the ability, disposition, or readiness to laugh.
3. pertaining to or connected with laughing.

risible

/ ˈrɪzɪbəl /

adjective

1. having a tendency to laugh
2. causing laughter; ridiculous

Derived Forms

• ˈrisibly, adverb

Other Words From

• un·risi·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of risible¹

1550–60; < Late Latin rīsibilis that can laugh, equivalent to Latin rīs ( us ) laughed (past participle of rīdēre to laugh) + -ibilis -ible

Word History and Origins

Origin of risible¹

C16: from Late Latin rīsibilis , from Latin rīdēre to laugh

Example Sentences

After Helene and Milton, anger over the state GOP’s risible climate denial—which persists even as this already-historic hurricane season threatens to send yet another storm Florida’s way—appears to be fueling younger voters, first-time voters, and door-knockers, according to a report from the Guardian:

From Slate

At the Washington Post’s Fact Checker, Glenn Kessler noted that “Trump is referencing a ridiculous social media hoax” and said “there is no evidence that Haitians are doing this.” FactCheck.org, the Associated Press, Reuters, NPR, the New York Times, CNN, and many other outlets offered similar fact checks of Trump’s risible claim; each of these outlets deemed it categorically false.

From Slate

UK officials called the interview “risible”.

From BBC

At one point, she cited a risible claim made by Judge Andrew Oldham, a Trump appointee on the 5th Circuit.

From Slate

I hadn’t been to an Angels game in a few years, and the stadium was as risible as I remembered it, if not more so.

From Los Angeles Times