Etymoleon - Word History, the etymology podcast.

77. Comedy

Leon Bailey-Green Season 1 Episode 77

This episode looks at the origins of words linked to comedy, tracing the etymology behind terms like fun, amuse, slapstick, wit and giggle. Discover why humour and humid share a Latin root meaning wetness, and which two English words correspond to the elements of schadenfreude. Teasing first referred to separating fibres before extending to provoking people (eventually in a playful way). Plus, find out how religious plays gave rise to the word farce.