Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

comical

/ˈkɑmɪkəl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.23 in modern English

Syllables: com-i-cal
IPA: /ˈkɑmɪkəl/

13

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Originally, relating to comedy.

Archaic

adj

Funny, whimsically amusing.

adj

Laughable; ridiculous.

Example Sentences

"It was a comical performance."
"The tutor excelled in comical scoldings."
"He's just put salt in his tea instead of sugar. What a comical error!"
"Mr. Sanders has scored some rhetorical points against Mrs. Clinton for her longstanding ties to Wall Street, but she has responded well, and it would be comical to watch any of the Republican candidates try to make that case, given that they are all virtually tied to, or actually part of, the business establishment."

Etymology

From Middle English comicalle, from Latin cōmicus + Middle English -alle (modern -al). By surface analysis, comic + -al.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: comicalle, cōmicus, -al

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈkɑmɪkəl/
British English: /ˈkɒmɪkəl/

Usage

Archaic

Inflected Forms

more comical (comparative) most comical (superlative)

Derived Forms

comicality comically comicalness heroicomical semicomical uncomical

Frequently Paired Words

comic

Synonyms

comic comedial comedic amusing funny laughable mirthful risible

Rhymes With

economical astronomical uneconomical

Questions

How do you pronounce comical?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈkɑmɪkəl/.
What does comical mean?: Originally, relating to comedy.
Where does comical come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce comical

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “comical”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈkɑmɪkəl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “comical”.
Repeat and practice — Say “comical” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.