Etymology of a Word: Humor
Write a 5 paragraph (intro, body, conclusion) of the history of the word humor
Sample Solution
The meaning of humor is that quality which appeals to a sense of the ludicrous or absurdity incongruous: a funny or amusing quality. Traditionally, humor is believed to have grown from the Latin word for “liquid” or “fluid.” The original sense was “bodily fluid” (surviving in aqueous humor and vitreous humor); it was used specifically for any of the cardinal humors [humor (sense 3 of the noun)], whence “mental disposition” (thought to be caused by the relative proportions of the humors). This led, in the 16th century, to the senses “mood” [humor (sense 2 of the noun)] and “whim,” hence to humor someone “to indulge a person`s whim.” Humor (sense 1 of the noun) dates from the 16th century.
