something said or done to provoke laughter or cause amusement, as a witticism, a short and amusing anecdote, or a prankish act: He tells very funny jokes. She played a joke on him.
something that is amusing or ridiculous, especially because of being ludicrously inadequate or a sham; a thing, situation, or person laughed at rather than taken seriously; farce: Their pretense of generosity is a joke. An officer with no ability to command is a joke.
a matter that need not be taken very seriously; trifling matter: The loss was no joke.
something that does not present the expected challenge; something very easy: The test was a joke for the whole class.
practical joke.
verb (used without object),joked,jok·ing.
to speak or act in a playful or merry way: He was always joking with us.
to say something in fun or teasing rather than in earnest; be facetious: He didn't really mean it, he was only joking.
verb (used with object),joked,jok·ing.
to subject to jokes; make fun of; tease.
to obtain by joking: The comedian joked coins from the audience.
Origin of joke
First recorded in 1660–70, joke is from the Latin word jocus “jest”
1. Joke,jest refer to something said (or done) in sport, or to cause amusement. A joke is something said or done for the sake of exciting laughter; it may be raillery, a witty remark, or a prank or trick: to tell a joke.Jest, today a more formal word, nearly always refers to joking language and is more suggestive of scoffing or ridicule than is joke : to speak in jest.