# A Word for 'Funny' That Doesn't Mean Something Else Too. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2010, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-word-for-funny-that-doesnt-mean-something-else-too/533704 "2010-03-25T03:16:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-word-for-funny-that-doesnt-mean-something-else-too/533704/41 "2010-03-26T01:53:06Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I don’t think that’s correct - I believe the water closet is the S Bend - trapping water, **closing** off the soil pipe, preventing the ingress of noxious gases. I always assumed it referred to the room (or shed) that houses the equipment. Oh, and a word that means funny, and nothing else, how about _zany_? I believe it derives from _Zani_, a comic character in Italian theatre, and in English it has no meaning apart from _funny_. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-word-for-funny-that-doesnt-mean-something-else-too/533704/42 "2010-03-26T02:13:57Z")
what about words that describe elements of humor? ironic. satirical. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-word-for-funny-that-doesnt-mean-something-else-too/533704/43 "2010-03-26T09:02:46Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > I always assumed it referred to the room (or shed) that houses the equipment. Don’t think so - because one of the alternatives (still in existence today in mobile home toilets) is the _Valve Closet_ - where the noxious fumes are closed off by a sprung flap. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-word-for-funny-that-doesnt-mean-something-else-too/533704/44 "2010-03-26T16:33:09Z")
Maybe so, but [garderobe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garderobe)could be either a closet (wardrobe) or a privvy. I still think it means the room. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-word-for-funny-that-doesnt-mean-something-else-too/533704/45 "2010-03-26T16:49:37Z")
It means the room _now_, but it originally meant the water-based valve - as distinct from other methods of closing the soil pipe - such as valve closets, pan closets and plunger closets. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-word-for-funny-that-doesnt-mean-something-else-too/533704/46 "2010-03-26T18:30:56Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > … I was thinking. “Hilarious” means “ **very** funny”. Is there a word that just means “[average] funny” by itself…) “semihilarious” btw, I have never seen “Risible” used for “that joke was risible” but more like for “that proposal was risible”. I mean, not to say something was ha-ha funny but with some contempt. ---
**Author:** ![cplif](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/48db29/32.png) [@cplif](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cplif)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-word-for-funny-that-doesnt-mean-something-else-too/533704/47 "2010-03-26T18:55:05Z")
French: rire, risible laughable, inconsequential, even trivial. I do not pretend to understand the English use, but the French is anything but “funny” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-word-for-funny-that-doesnt-mean-something-else-too/533704.md?page=2)