What does funnymen mean?
'Funnymen' is the plural form of 'funnyman', an informal term for men whose trade is laughter — stand-up comedians, sketch performers, comic actors, or any men celebrated for their wit. The word appears most often in entertainment journalism and retrospective writing, as in 'Hollywood's great funnymen of the 1950s'. Its tone is warm and appreciative rather than neutral: calling someone a funnyman implies genuine comic talent, not merely an occasional joke. Because the term is gender-specific and somewhat old-fashioned, contemporary usage often favors 'comedian', which applies to anyone regardless of sex. Still, 'funnymen' survives readily in headlines, tribute articles, and pairings of famous duos, where its slightly retro flavor suits affectionate looks back at the great clowns and wits of earlier eras. For readers of entertainment history, it remains a useful shorthand for the profession's most enduring practitioners.
Men who work as comedians or comic entertainers; plural of 'funnyman'.
"The panel gathered three legendary funnymen to reminisce about the golden age of radio comedy."
Informal and gender-specific; often found in entertainment journalism.
Informally, men noted for being witty or amusing, without necessarily performing professionally.
"Every family gathering counted on its resident funnymen to keep the mood light."
As 'funnymen' is itself a plural noun, its singular counterpart is 'funnyman'; there is no further plural form.
"One funnyman after another took the stage, until six funnymen had filled the evening."
Long before comedy specials and streaming sets, newspapers crowned their favorite comedians with a single affectionate title: funnyman — and plural success meant you had funnymen.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of funnymen
'Funnyman' is a straightforward English compound of 'funny' and 'man', arising in the nineteenth century when journalism began labeling professional comedians this way. The adjective 'funny' itself has murky origins — possibly connected to the older dialect word 'funk' (meaning a state of fear or timidity) — and shifted in meaning from odd or peculiar in the early eighteenth century to amusing by the nineteenth. The plural 'funnymen' simply follows regular noun pluralization, replacing 'man' with 'men'.
Related word forms
How funnymen is actually used
The word is informal to mildly journalistic in register, common in entertainment writing and reviews. It is gender-specific, applying to men; modern style guides increasingly prefer neutral terms such as 'comedian' when the writer does not wish to mark gender. It is used almost exclusively in the positive sense of praise rather than as a neutral descriptor.
Easily confused with funnymen
'Funnyman' is the singular form referring to one comedian, while 'funnymen' refers to two or more.