Category:Risible

Ris"i*ble, a. Etym: [f., fr. L. risibilis, fr. ridere, risum, to Laugh. Cf. Ridiculous.]

1. Having the faculty or power of laughing; disposed to laugh. Laughing is our busines,. . . it has been made the definition of man That he is risible. Dr. H. More.

2. Exciting laughter; worthy to be laughed at; amusing. "risible Absurdities." Johnson. I hope you find nothing risible in my complaisance. Sir w. Scott.

3. Used in, or expressing, laughter; as, risible muscles.

Note: risible is sometimes used as a noun, in the plural, for the Feeling of amusement and for the muscles and other organs used in Laughing, collectively; as, unable to control one's risibles.

Syn. -- ludicrous; laughable; amusing; ridiculous -- risible, ludicrous, Ridiculous. Risible differs from ludicrous as species from genus; Ludicrous expressing that which is playful and sportive; risible, That which may excite laughter. Risible differs from ridiculous, as The latter implies something contemptuous, and risible does not.

--ris"i*ble*ness(#), n. -- ris"i*bly, adv.