seriocomic

1 8.6

Mixing serious and funny elements so the funny side is stronger

adjective
/ˌsɪr.i.oʊˈkɑː.mɪk/

Literature

: seriocómico

Seriocomic endings of some of his works speak to this, making evident the discrepancy between the author's stance and characters' points of view (e.g., "The Lady with a Dog" and "The Betrothed").

Examples

He and Charlene had been giving me a seriocomic history of their yacht, which had thus far cost them something like $16,000 per hour at sea and which had been rammed by Jerry into a much bigger yacht on its maiden voyage out of the marina.

Fiction book (1991)
The movie was a perfect blend of serious themes and humor, making it a truly seriocomic experience.
Her latest novel is a seriocomic look at everyday life, mixing deep insights with light-hearted moments.
The play was seriocomic, highlighting serious social issues while entertaining the audience with clever jokes.

Synonyms

tragicomic

vsseriocomic

1 7.3

A story or situation that has both sad and funny parts

leans toward less extreme gravity, combining seriousness with lighter humor

tragicomical

vsseriocomic

1 8.8

Having both sad and funny parts at the same time

is lighter, focusing on seriousness balanced by predominant humor

seriocomical

vsseriocomic

Literature

9.8

Serious and funny at the same time, with the funny side stronger

is identical in meaning but is the alternate spelling used for the same idea

How Serious

tragic

419 3.4

serious

∞ 1.4

seriocomic

Literature

1 8.6

comic

70 1.9

light-hearted

14 3.5

Surface Forms

seriocomic positive

Morphology

seriocomic = serious + comic (transparent) = serio + comic

The adjective is a direct combination of 'serious' and 'comic', so learners who know both components can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Seriocomic comes from two clear parts: serio- meaning 'serious' and comic meaning 'funny' or 'related to comedy'. So a seriocomic work mixes serious and funny moments, making you both laugh and think.