facetious

English

WOTD – 6 April 2016

Etymology

From French facétieux, from Latin facētia (jest, wit, humor), from facētus (witty, jocose, facetious).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /fəˈsiːʃəs/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -iːʃəs
  • Hyphenation: fa‧ce‧tious

Adjective

facetious (comparative more facetious, superlative most facetious)

  1. Treating serious issues with (often deliberately) inappropriate humour; flippant.
    Robbie's joke about Heather's appearance was just him being facetious.
    • 2017 October 2, Jess Cartner-Morle, “Stella McCartney lays waste to disposable fashion in Paris”, in the Guardian:
      Glamour for its own sake is not something I have ever been particularly interested in,” Stella McCartney said backstage after her catwalk show. Which could sound like a facetious statement from a fashion designer who was, at that moment, standing among the marble-slabbed floors, elaborately frescoed ceilings and giant chandeliers of the Palais Garnier opera house, where the show was staged.
  2. Pleasantly humorous; jocular.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

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Further reading

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