amusement
n. C / Un. the feeling you have when something is funny or makes you smile. It can also mean an activity or show that keeps you entertained.
n. the state of being entertained or finding something funny; alternatively, a means of providing entertainment or diversion. Uncountable when referring to the internal state; countable when referring to specific activities or attractions.
She watched the kittens play with great amusement.
The park offers various forms of amusement, from roller coasters to live music performances.
To the professor's quiet amusement, the students spent the entire seminar debating a minor footnote as if it were the central thesis of the book.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Old French a- Old French muser Old French amuser Middle French amuser Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥tom Proto-Italic *-məntom Latin -mentum Old French -ment Middle French -ment Middle French amusementbor. English amusement Borrowed from Middle French amusement, from amuser + -ment. Morphologically amuse + -ment.
Often follows the preposition 'in' ('in amusement') or 'to' ('to my amusement').