Ris"i*ble (?), a. [F., fr. L. risibilis, fr. ridere, risum, to laugh. Cf. Ridiculous.]
1.
Having the faculty or power of laughing; disposed to laugh.
Laughing is our busines, . . . it has been made the definition of man that he is risible.
Dr. H. More.
2.
Exciting laughter; worthy to be laughed at; amusing.
"
Risible absurdities."
Johnson.
I hope you find nothing risible in my complaisance.
Sir W. Scott.
3.
Used in, or expressing, laughter; as, risible muscles.
⇒ Risible is sometimes used as a noun, in the plural, for the feeling of amusement and for the muscles and other organs used in laughing, collectively; 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 contemptuous, and risible does not.
--Ris"i*ble*ness(#), n. -- Ris"i*bly, adv.
© Webster 1913.