Words of Positivity
Browse the A to Z index4,633 ENTRIES

Humorist

n.joyful, thoughtfulwarm

What it means

A writer, speaker, or performer known for creating thoughtful amusement.

Reach for it when praising sustained comic craft rather than one funny remark

The gentle humorist found comedy in ordinary family negotiations.

Choose between these

6
  • everyday

    comedian

    live or recorded performance aims directly at laughter

    not when A comedian performs comic material, while a humorist may write essays or speak reflectively.

  • everyday

    funny person

    natural everyday amusement matters more than profession

    not when The phrase understates deliberate craft and public work.

  • professional

    comic writer

    written comedy is the exact medium

    not when The phrase excludes performers and can suggest fiction only.

  • professional

    satirist

    humor exposes folly, hypocrisy, or power

    not when Satire can be biting and political rather than warmly amusing.

  • literary

    raconteur

    engaging spoken stories carry the humor

    not when A raconteur may tell dramatic or historical stories that are not mainly comic.

  • literary

    wit

    quick clever expression is the defining gift

    not when A wit may shine in conversation without producing a body of humorous work.

Said against

3
  • bore
  • solemnist
  • humorless writer

It naturally appears in

4
  • gentle humorist

    The gentle humorist makes human vanity visible without humiliating anyone.

  • social humorist

    A social humorist can criticize power through domestic scenes.

  • noted humorist

    The noted humorist began as a newspaper illustrator.

  • humorist's essay

    The humorist's essay balances affection with exact observation.

Where this comes from

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.