hilarity

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /hɪˈlɛrəti/ UK /hɪˈlærəti/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
exuberant merriment or boisterous laughter

The comedian's blunder sent the audience into fits of hilarity.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · exuberant merriment or... merriment mirth glee jollity levity laughter gaiety amusement

Opposites

gravity solemnity gloom sobriety

Word family

Related forms hilarious hilariously hilariousness

Simplified etymology

Hilarity, recorded in late Middle English, derives from Latin hilaris, “cheerful.” The same Latin word is the basis of exhilarare, “to make cheerful,” from which exhilarate developed.

Etymology

From Latin hilaritas ('cheerfulness, gaiety'), from hilaris ('cheerful, merry'), from Ancient Greek hilaros ('cheerful, gay').

hilaritas Latin hilaris Latin ἱλαρός Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# hilarity

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /hɪˈlɛrəti/
**IPA (UK):** /hɪˈlærəti/

## Meanings
1. exuberant merriment or boisterous laughter

## Examples
- The comedian's blunder sent the audience into fits of hilarity.

## Synonyms
- merriment
- mirth
- glee
- jollity
- levity
- laughter
- gaiety
- amusement

## Antonyms
- gravity
- solemnity
- gloom
- sobriety

## Related Forms
- hilarious
- hilariously
- hilariousness

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: hilaritas
- Root: hilaris
- Root: ἱλαρός

## Etymology
From Latin hilaritas ('cheerfulness, gaiety'), from hilaris ('cheerful, merry'), from Ancient Greek hilaros ('cheerful, gay').

## AI Etymology
Hilarity comes from Latin hilaritas ('cheerfulness, gaiety'), from hilaris ('cheerful, merry'), from Ancient Greek hilaros ('cheerful, gay'). The etymological trail includes Latin hilaritas, Latin hilaris, and Ancient Greek ἱλαρός. As a noun, hilarity names exuberant merriment or boisterous laughter. The same family is visible in related forms such as hilarious, hilariously, and hilariousness.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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