What does drolling mean?
Drolling is the present participle and gerund of the verb "droll", which means to jest or to amuse others with witty, whimsical remarks. The word is now rare, surviving mainly in older literature, where it describes light-hearted joking or playful banter — for example, an entertainer drolling before an appreciative crowd. Its connotations are gentle and affectionate rather than sharp: a person who is drolling is being amusingly eccentric rather than mocking. In contemporary English the adjective "droll" (meaning curiously or wryly funny) is by far the most familiar member of this word family, along with the noun "drollery" and the adverb "drolly", while the verbal form has largely fallen out of use. Readers encountering "drolling" in historical texts should understand it as describing comic performance or jesting talk.
verbThe present participle and gerund of the verb "droll", meaning to jest or make humorous remarks; now rare and chiefly archaic.
- To jest, joke, or amuse with droll remarks; the present participle of the rare verb "droll".
"He was drolling over dinner, keeping the whole table in fits of laughter."
"He spent the evening drolling about the misadventures of his first job."
"The old comedian kept drolling until even the waiters had gathered round to listen."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of drolling
The verb "droll" comes from the French "drole" (modern "drôle"), meaning amusing or comical, which itself derives from the Old French "drole" referring to a merry fellow or buffoon. The word entered English in the early 17th century, first as a noun for a jester or comic character and then as an adjective and verb. Related English forms include "drollery", borrowed from French "drollerie", meaning jesting or comic matter.
Related word forms
How drolling is actually used
Rare in modern usage; "droll" survives far more commonly as an adjective meaning amusingly odd or whimsical than as a verb.
Easily confused with drolling
"Drooling" means letting saliva run from the mouth, whereas "drolling" refers to jesting or making jokes.