risque
adjective

- slightly indecent and liable to shock, especially by being sexually suggestive

- (of jokes or stories) slightly rude or shocking, especially because of being about sex

- verging on impropriety or indecency

Oxford Languages, Cambridge DIctionary, Merriam-Webster

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WORD ORIGIN



The etymology of "risqué" traces back through French to the concept of risk and danger:

- English "risqué" (1867) - "tending toward impropriety," from French risqué, past participle of risquer "to risk".

- Italian origins - The French borrowed from Italian riscare, rischaire, which came from Italian risco or riscio (modern "rischio")

The word has several proposed ancient origins:

Latin words resicum, risicum, and riscus which mean "cliff" or "reef”. The Latin word comes from a Greek navigation term rhizikon, rhiza.

The semantic evolution is fascinating: the word began with maritime dangers (cliffs, reefs that could wreck ships), evolved to mean general risk or danger, and then by 1867 took on the specific meaning of being "daringly close" to social impropriety - suggesting something that metaphorically "risks" crossing boundaries of acceptable behaviour.

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SERIOUSLY FUNNY

Sometimes humour can be the only way to escape a critical situation. In the 1984 U.S. presidential debate, critics worried that Ronald Reagan was too old. When asked about it, he replied: “I will not make age an issue. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience. The audience roared with laughter, even his opponent laughed — and the issue died instantly.

Categories of Humour :

- Slapstick: Physical comedy with exaggerated actions, like pratfalls or clumsy antics, often seen in cartoons (e.g. slipping on a banana peel).

- Sarcasm: Ironic, biting remarks to mock or amuse (e.g., “Oh, you’re so punctual” when someone’s late).

- Puns/Wordplay: Humour from double meanings or similar-sounding words (e.g. “I’m reading an anti-gravity book; it’s hard to put down”).

- Satire: Witty critique of society or politics using exaggeration (e.g. a skit mocking corporate greed).

- Absurd/Surreal: Comedy from bizarre, illogical scenarios (e.g. a fish riding a bicycle in a sketch).

- Self-Deprecating: Joking about one’s own flaws for relatability (e.g. “I’m great with technology — as long as it has an ‘off’ button.”).

- Dark Humour: Finding comedy in grim or taboo topics (e.g. lighthearted death jokes to cope or provoke).

- Risqué: Humour with suggestive or mildly inappropriate themes, for playful shock (e.g. “The headline warned of shocking exposure — but it was only about solar panels!”).

- Parody: Mimicking a style, genre, or person with exaggerated imitation for comedic effect (e.g. a fake movie trailer poking fun at superhero films).

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SYNONYMS

adult, adult-oriented, after-dark, bawdy, blue, borderline, cheeky, close to the bone, coarse, colourful, daring, dirty, double entendre, earthy, edgy, erotic, flirtatious, forward, fresh, frisky, grown-up, hot, improper, immodest, indecent, indelicate, kinky, lewd, mischievous, naughty, near the knuckle, obscene, off-colour, playful, provocative, questionable, Rabelaisian, racy, raw, red-light, ribald, RISQUÉ, rude, salacious, salty, saucy, scandalous, sexual, sexually suggestive, smutty, spicy, steamy, suggestive, sultry, titillating, unseemly, x-rated


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SMUGGLE
 OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

“All types of humour have their time and place, but be especially careful with RISQUÉ.”

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P L E A S E   S U P P O R T   O W A D