Word of the Day

: November 16, 2021

facetious

adjective fuh-SEE-shuss

What It Means

Facetious means "joking often inappropriately" or "meant to be humorous or funny." It usually describes something said or done as being annoying, silly, or improper.

// I was just being facetious.

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facetious in Context

"Forget the license to kill. James Bond fanatics carry a license to argue about everything. Who's the best Bond? Well, Connery. Obviously. But Daniel Craig's a close second, many believe. And the other screen Bonds have their admirers, despite the lesser movies' unevenness or facetious gadgetry." — Michael Phillips, The Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2021

Did You Know?

Facetious—which puzzle fans know is one of the few English words containing the vowels "a, e, i, o, u" in order—comes from French facetieux, which traces to the Latin word facētia, meaning "cleverness or wit." In English, facetiae refers to "witty or humorous writings or sayings."