jest
n.something said or done for fun or to make people laugh. It is an older word for a joke or a playful comment.
n.a joke or a witty remark intended to provoke laughter or amusement. Often used in the phrase 'in jest' to indicate that a statement should not be taken seriously.
“He made a quick jest about the rainy weather.”
“Although his comment sounded harsh, he clearly spoke in jest to lighten the mood of the meeting.”
“The court jester was the only individual permitted to speak the truth to the king, provided his critiques were wrapped in clever jest and wordplay.”
Commonly appears in the prepositional phrase 'in jest'.
From Middle English geste (“idle tale”), from Old French geste (“acts, exploits”), from Latin gesta (“acts, deeds”). Doublet of gest.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.