Definition

1. Noun:
   • A quaint and amusing jest: "Drollery" refers to something said or done that is humorously odd or whimsically funny, often in an old-fashioned or quirky way.
   • A comic incident or series of incidents: It can also describe an event or situation that is amusingly absurd or comical.

Usage

• "Drollery" is a formal and somewhat literary word used to describe humor that is dry, whimsical, or characterized by quaint absurdity. It is not typically used for loud or slapstick comedy.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The novel is filled with gentle drollery and witty observations.
  • His speech was appreciated more for its subtle drollery than for its serious points.

Advanced Usage

• "A touch of drollery": A slight element of quaint humor.
  • The painting's background scenes add a touch of drollery to the otherwise solemn subject.

Variants and Related Words

• Droll (adj): Amusing in an odd or whimsical manner.
  • He had a droll sense of humor that not everyone understood.
• Drollness (n): The quality of being droll.
  • The drollness of his delivery made the story even funnier.

Synonyms

• Whimsy: Playfully quaint or fanciful behavior or humor.
• Waggery: Mischievous or playful humor.
• Jest: A thing said or done for amusement; a joke.

Antonyms

• Solemnity: The state or quality of being serious and dignified.
• Gravity: Extreme or alarming importance; seriousness.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "A vein of drollery": A consistent streak or style of quaint humor.
  • The author writes with a consistent vein of drollery.

Noun

1. a quaint and amusing jest
2. a comic incident or series of incidents