pour rireadv.adj.
/pʊə ˈrɪə/, U.S. /pʊr ˈrɪ(ə)r/ A. adv.
For the sake of amusement, as a joke; as a source of amusement or derision.
ΚΠ
1847 Edinb. Rev. Jan. 84 Bussy Rabutin was robbed by two filous de qualité, by no means pour rire, but in good earnest.
1926 A. Huxley Jesting Pilate i. 115 Hereditary aristocracies still exist in the West—exist, but pour rire.
1948 A. L. Rowse Use of Hist. vi. 173 The belle of the party, was got up to look like one of the louche ladies of the Restoration Court of Charles II. It was all pour rire.
1999 M. Gutwirth Laughing Matter iii. 80 The mental back-and-forth of a painless error inflicted pour rire, for the fun of it.
B. adj.
As postmodifier: not serious or in earnest; causing or designed to cause amusement, risible.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pleasure > laughter > causing laughter > lack of seriousness > [adverb]
agamec1300
bourdfullya1400
in sportc1450
aplay1459
bourdly1500
in jest1551
bourdingly1552
sportingly1561
jestingly1569
sportingwise1579
sportfullya1586
sportively1656
for fun1750
flippantly1758
pour rire1872
1872 B. Jerrold London x. 92 The laugh is general..over Smug who swept his own office once—and is no Liberal pour rire.
1884 Sat. Rev. 3 May 562/2 The author of a motion admits that it is only a motion pour rire.
1912 H. Maxwell Creevey Papers xix. 477 There was no whisper of his re-entering the Cabinet under Goderich, whom all men regarded as a minister pour rire.
1959 Punch 25 Mar. 411/2 A flight of facetious fancy, a suggestion pour rire.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.adj.1847