online medical dictionary | definition of jocose

Given to jokes and jesting; containing a joke, or abounding in jokes; merry; sportive; humorous. "To quit their austerity and be jocose and pleasant with an adversary." (Shaftesbury) "All . . . Jocose or comical airs should be excluded." (I. Watts)

Synonyms: Jocular, facetious, witty, merry, pleasant, waggish, sportive, funny, comical.

Jocose"ly, Jocose"ness, "Spondanus imagines that Ulysses may possibly speak jocosely, but in truth Ulysses never behaves with levity." (Broome) "He must beware lest his letter should contain anything like jocoseness; since jesting is incompatible with a holy and serious life." (Buckle)

Origin: L jocosus, fr. Jocus joke. See Joke.

(01 Mar 1998)