English
hilarious
Hilarious comes from Latin hilaris ‘cheerful’, from Ancient Greek ἵλαος ‘propitious, gracious, kind’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *selh₂- ‘mercy, comfort’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*selh₂-‘mercy, comfort’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἵλαοςhílaos‘propitious, gracious, kind’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἱλαρός‘cheerful, merry’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhilaris‘cheerful’
- Englishearliest quotation 1863hilarious
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*selh₂-‘mercy, comfort’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἵλαοςhílaos‘propitious, gracious, kind’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἱλαρός‘cheerful, merry’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhilaris‘cheerful’
- Englishearliest quotation 1863hilarious
Earliest quotation: 1863, Sheridan Le Fanu: “Cold Doctor Pell here refused a very considerable fee.…”
Formed from -ious
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *selh₂- ‘mercy, comfort’
Today it means
adj Very funny; causing great merriment and laughter.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *selh₂- / hilarious