What does humourless mean?
Humourless means lacking a sense of humour or showing no amusement. The adjective is commonly used to describe people, tones of voice, expressions, and styles of presentation. Calling someone humourless suggests that they are serious, impassive, or unable to appreciate a joke, though the description can be affectionate or simply observational. In British English, the usual spelling is humourless; American English generally uses humorless. The word is formed from humour, meaning the quality of being funny or amused, together with the suffix -less, meaning “without.” It is useful when discussing a failure to respond to comedy, a solemn atmosphere, or a deliberately deadpan manner. Although humourlessness can sound disapproving, it does not necessarily imply hostility; a person may simply be focused, reserved, or sincerely engaged with a serious subject.
adjectiveLacking a sense of humour; serious, solemn, or unable to see the funny side of a situation.
- Lacking a sense of humour; serious or solemn in manner or expression.
"His humourless response to the absurd request made the whole room fall silent."
"The lecturer's humourless delivery made a difficult subject seem even more intimidating."
"She gave a humourless stare before finally breaking into a smile."
A humourless person may be entirely sincere: sometimes the funniest thing in the room is the face that refuses to laugh.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does humourless come from?
Humourless was formed in English by combining humour with the suffix -less, meaning “without.” The English word humour comes through French humour, ultimately from Latin humor, a term associated with moisture or fluid and later with the sense of mood or disposition. In English, humour developed the meaning of a person's characteristic mood and then the ability to appreciate or express amusement. The related forms humorous, humorist, and humourless reflect this long-established lexical family.
Related word forms
How humourless is actually used
Usually neutral to mildly critical, suggesting that a person is serious, impassive, or unable to appreciate humour. It can also describe a presentation, tone, or expression.
Easily confused with humourless
Humourless is the standard British spelling, while humorless is the standard American spelling; both have the same meaning.