humorist

[ hyoo-mer-istor, often, yoo- ]

noun

1. a person who is skillful in the use of humor, as in writing, talking, or acting.
2. a person with an active sense of humor.

humorist

/ ˈhjuːmərɪst /

noun

1. a person who acts, speaks, or writes in a humorous way

Derived Forms

• ˌhumorˈistic, adjective

Other Words From

• humor·istic humor·isti·cal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of humorist¹

First recorded in 1580–1590; from French humoriste “capricious person,” equivalent to humour (from English ) + -iste noun suffix; humor ( def ), -ist; compare Italian (h)umorista “capricious, subject to humors”

Example Sentences

Marshall’s only thwarted ambition, Adams and others say, was to become a successful humorist, a Will Rogers type or a comedy writer for Letterman.

From Outside Online

The same could be said for the wits and humorists that preceded him, such as Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley and Ring Lardner.

From Washington Post

More than a century ago, the humorist Finley Peter Dunne quipped sarcastically that the “Supreme Court follows the election returns.”

From Time

The legendary libertarian humorist is joining The Daily Beast as a weekly columnist.

From The Daily Beast

The Pulitzer Prize–winning humorist agreed to cover the London Olympics and the two political conventions.

From The Daily Beast

David Rakoff, 47 (Nov. 27, 1964, to Aug. 9, 2012) The humorist and journalist died in New York after a long battle with cancer.

From The Daily Beast

Just as a humorist in general, as an author, I was a huge fan.

From The Daily Beast

The famed writer, filmmaker, and humorist Nora Ephron died on June 26 at the age of 71 from leukemia.

From The Daily Beast

The humorist and satirist lost no opportunity of deriding the new fashion and its followers.

From Project Gutenberg

Then a humorist told some of his own funny stories and an elocutionist recited a bit from Shakespeare effectively.

From Project Gutenberg

"He is the great unconscious humorist of modern art, also a great etcher," said Isabel, dryly.

From Project Gutenberg

We possessed about sixty drawings, sketches, aquarelles of this humorist, and we gave some of them to the poet.

From Project Gutenberg

The air was dark with flying cushions, and darker still, occasionally, when the usual humorist turned the gas out.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• entertainer
• satirist