Antonyms for facetious


Grammar : Adj
Spell : fuh-see-shuh s
Phonetic Transcription : fəˈsi ʃəs


Definition of facetious

Origin :
  • 1590s, from French facétieux, from facétie "a joke" (15c.), from Latin facetia "jest, witticism," from facetus "witty, elegant, fine, courteous," of unknown origin, perhaps related to facis "torch."
  • It implies a desire to be amusing, often intrusive or ill-timed. Related: Facetiously; facetiousness. "Facetiæ in booksellers' catalogues, is, like curious, a euphemism for erotica." [Fowler]
  • adj tongue-in-cheek, kidding
Example sentences :
  • Only Maulo, the camp jester, hurled a facetious comment at the corpse.
  • Extract from : « The Leopard Woman » by Stewart Edward White
  • “You can be facetious, I see,” the latter observed carelessly.
  • Extract from : « The Secret Agent » by Joseph Conrad
  • And this remark, intended to be facetious, was after all pretty close to the literal truth.
  • Extract from : « Shavings » by Joseph C. Lincoln
  • "Then it will pass, of course," rejoined the facetious physician.
  • Extract from : « The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun; » by Various
  • Indeed, he found Mr. Trenchard a most pleasant and facetious gentleman.
  • Extract from : « Mistress Wilding » by Rafael Sabatini
  • The latter was father of the facetious Tom Hood, who was born here in 1798.
  • Extract from : « The Book-Hunter in London » by William Roberts
  • His witt lively and sparkeling, and his humour pleasant and facetious.
  • Extract from : « Memoirs of the Jacobites of 1715 and 1745 » by Mrs. Thomson
  • When you try to be facetious you altogether cease to be useful.
  • Extract from : « General John Regan » by George A. Birmingham
  • Charles, who was not of a facetious turn, did not shine at the wedding.
  • Extract from : « Madame Bovary » by Gustave Flaubert
  • I am trying to be facetious, but really the matter worries me a little.
  • Extract from : « The Jessica Letters: An Editor's Romance » by Paul Elmer More

Synonyms for facetious

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019