humor

I. 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 humors 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 II. transitive verb (humored; humoring) Date: 1588 1. to soothe or content by indulgence 2. to adapt oneself to Synonyms: see indulge