Ris'i-ble, a.
a. [Fr. & Sp. risible, It. risibile, Lat. risibilis, from ridere, risum, to laugh. See RIDICULOUS.]
- Having the faculty or power of laughing; disposed to laugh. [Rare.]
- Capable of exciting laughter; worthy to be laughed at; amusing.
I hope you find nothing risible in my complaisance. W. Scott. He wantoned and reveled among the subjects that had always seemed to him the most risible, whatever might be the kind of laughter. Prof. Wilson. ☞ Risible is sometimes used as a noun, in the plural, for the muscles and other organs that produce laughter; as, unable to control one's risibles. Syn.—Ludicrous; laughable; amusing; ridiculous.—RISIBLE, LUDICROUS, RIDICULOUS. Risible differs from ludicrous, as species from genus; ludicrous expressing that which is playful and sportive; risible, that which may excite laughter. Risible differs from ridiculous, as the latter implies something mean or contemptible, and risible does not.