Hilarity
/hɪˈlær.ə.ti/noun
Great merriment or laughter.
Did you know?Hilarity comes from Latin hilaritas, from hilaris meaning “cheerful,” ultimately from Greek hilaros, a word linked to bright, lively spirits rather than anything dark or occult.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ǵʰel-
“to gleam, shine”
Ancient Greek
Greek
hilaros
“cheerful, merry, bright in spirit”
Latin
Latin
hilaris
“cheerful, pleasant”
Latin
Latin
hilaritas
“cheerfulness, merriment”
14th Century
English
hilarite / hilarity
“cheerfulness, mirth”
Modern English
English
hilarity
“great merriment or laughter”
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