playful
adj. A2 Elementary US //ˈpɫeɪfəɫ// UK //plˈeɪfəl// play·ful
adj. fun and lively in a way that shows you are enjoying yourself. You use this to describe someone who likes to laugh, joke, or play.
adj. showing a lively, cheerful, and amusing quality; fond of games or lighthearted fun. Typically used attributively before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb.
The playful puppy chased its tail in the garden.
Her playful comments during the meeting helped relax the nervous team.
The author's playful tone masks the serious critique of social norms hidden within the narrative.
From Middle English pleiful, equivalent to play + -ful.