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raillery

noun
rail·​lery | \ ˈrā-lə-rē How to pronounce raillery (audio) \
plural railleries

Definition of raillery

1 : good-natured ridicule : banter
2 : jest
Synonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about raillery

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Did You Know?

Raillery is the anglicized form of the French word raillerie, which stems from the Middle French verb railler, meaning "to mock." "Railler," which probably comes from Old French reillier ("to growl" or "to mutter") and ultimately from Late Latin ragere ("to neigh"), also gave us our verb "rail." But "rail" and "raillery" are quite different in tone. Rail means "to revile or scold in harsh, insolent, or abusive language," whereas "raillery" usually suggests cutting wit that pokes fun good-naturedly.

Examples of raillery in a Sentence

Luke had to put up with a lot of raillery from his sister the first time he asked a girl for a date.

Recent Examples on the Web

 Some may feel, in this Trumpus Caesar summer, that such raillery, let alone the underlying idea of trying to understand why Americans have shot presidents, is an untoward or trite provocation. — Jesse Green, New York Times, "Review: ‘Assassins’ Offers a National Anthem for Killers," 13 July 2017

First Known Use of raillery

1643, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for raillery

French raillerie, from Middle French, from railler to mock

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More Definitions for raillery

raillery

noun
How to pronounce raillery (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of raillery

formal : friendly joking about or with somebody

See the full definition for raillery in the English Language Learners Dictionary

raillery

noun
rail·​lery | \ ˈrā-lə-rē How to pronounce raillery (audio) \

Kids Definition of raillery

: an act or instance of making fun of someone in a good-natured way

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