Definition of ridicule

The word "ridicule" can be traced back to the Middle English word "redenkelen," which was derived from the Old French word "redenecer." The Old French word, in turn, stemmed from the Latin word "ridiculus," meaning "laughable" or "ridic." The Latin origin of "ridiculus" can be traced further back to the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) word "relist*," which meant "smiling" or "laughing." In PIE, the * symbol is used to indicate a sound change. The evolution of the word can also be seen in the Old Norse word "ryðiklō," which meant "ridiculous," and the Old High German word "rietālica," which meant "ridiculous" or "mockery." These words are related to the Latin word "ridiculus." Eventually, the word made its way into Middle English through the Old French, where it was pronounced "redenkelen" and meant "ridiculing" or "deriding." Over time, the spelling and pronunciation of the word evolved into its current form, "ridicule." The modern meaning of "ridicule" has expanded to include the idea of public scorn or derision. It's often used to describe situations in which someone's beliefs, actions, or decisions are considered absurd or laughable by others.