"joke" in seven languages
Meaningjoke
Spanish
/ˈbɾoma/
fem.other source · probably Greek brôma 'decay', once the name of the shipworm
A joke you tell is a chiste.
French
/blaɡ/
fem.other source · origin uncertain; first 'tobacco pouch'
Plaisanterie is the more formal word.
Italian
/ˈskertso/
masc.other source · scherzare, of Germanic origin
lo scherzo (s + consonant) · A joke you tell is a barzelletta.
Portuguese
/piˈadɐ/
fem.other source · of uncertain origin (perhaps piar 'to chirp')
A prank or something not meant seriously is a brincadeira.
Romanian
/ˈglumə/
fem.other source · Old Church Slavonic glumŭ 'jest'
Catalan
/ˈbɾomə/
fem.other source · probably Greek brôma 'decay', as for Spanish broma
A joke told for a laugh is an acudit.
English
/dʒoʊk/
other source · Latin IOCUS 'jest'
The story
English joke is Latin IOCUS 'jest'. In the sisters IOCUS lived on but turned into 'game' (juego, jeu, gioco), so each found a new word for a joke.
English relatives: jocular
Learn it
In a sentence
- esEra solo una broma.
- frC'était juste une blague.
- itEra solo uno scherzo.
- ptEra só uma piada.
- roEra doar o glumă.
- caNomés era una broma.
- enIt was only a joke.
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