Waggery

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of frolicsome behavior involving light-hearted jigging and teasing
2. The act of engaging in humorous or teasing antics that express lively and fun-loving spirit
3. A manner of behaving that involves cheerful joking and spirited pranks to entertain others

Etymology: Waggery is a plain formation: the noun "wag," a playful joker, with the suffix "-ery" added. "Wag" is an older English word, probably from the 16th century, meaning someone who was amusing or mischievous, and it is also the source of the verb "to wag" in its sense of moving briskly from side to side. The suffix "-ery" came into English from Old French "-erie," which traces back through Latin to forms like "-ārius," and it was used to make nouns naming a practice, a quality, or a collection of things, as in "bakery" or "foolery." Put together, "waggery" names the behaviour of a wag: jokes, pranks, and sly humour. The suffix does the same job in "knavery" and "roguery," describing the conduct associated with a type of person. Because "-ery" was productive in English, "waggery" was formed by simply attaching it to an existing word rather than borrowing a foreign term.

Synonyms: mischief, prank, jest, joke, foolery

Antonyms: seriousness, solemnity, gravity, sincerity, earnestness