hilarity
/hɪˈlæɹɪ.ti/ noun
Forms hilarities
- noun (uncountable) A great amount of amusement, usually accompanied by much laughter. “When the new baby's rubber duck squeaked at the wedding, hilarity ensued.”
- noun (countable) Something that induces much laughter.
Synonyms
cheerfulness buoyancy delight gaiety glee jauntiness merriment mirth mirthfulness gleefulness
Etymology
From Latin hilaritās (“cheerfulness”), from hilaris (“cheerful”), from Ancient Greek ἱλαρός (hilarós, “cheerful”). By surface analysis, Latin hilar(ō) + -i- + -ty.
Webster’s 1913
- noun Boisterous mirth; merriment; jollity. Goldsmith.
Etymology [L. hilaritas: cf. F. hilarité. See Hilarious.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “hilarity”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details