3 syllables: A, ge, last. Stress on ge.
uh-JUH-last
/əˈdʒə.læst/
Agelast is pronounced uh-JUH-last (/əˈdʒə.læst/). It has three syllables (A-ge-last), with the stress on "ge". Agelast is a noun describing a person who never laughs; a habitual mourner of jokes or merriment. In refined usage, it denotes someone devoid of mirth, often used humorously or pedantically. The term is rare outside literary or elevated conversation and carries a slightly antiquated or scholarly echo.
nounAgelast is a noun describing a person who never laughs; a habitual mourner of jokes or merriment. In refined usage, it denotes someone devoid of mirth, often used humorously or pedantically. The term is rare outside literary or elevated conversation and carries a slightly antiquated or scholarly echo.
"The agelast stood apart at the party, unmoved by the jokes around him."
"Her friend's agelast demeanor surprised her, given his usual quick wit."
"In the satire, the agelast philosopher questioned the value of laughter in human affairs."
Pronounce it as AG-uh-last, with stress on the first syllable. IPA US: ˈædʒəˌlæst; UK: ˈædʒəˌlɑːst; AU: ˈædʒəˌlɑːst. Start with a short, crisp AG (/ædʒ/) combining an open front unrounded vowel plus a soft
Common errors include misplacing the stress (shifting to second syllable) and mispronouncing the 'g' as a hard /g/ in 'lag/las' without the soft 'j' sound. Corrective tip: keep a clear /dʒ/ sound for the 'gel' portion and maintain initial stress on the first syllable; ensure the second syllable is lighter, ending with a clear /st/ cluster.
In US and UK, you’ll use /æ/ in the first vowel and /dʒ/ for the ‘gel’ followed by /ə/ or /ɪ/ before /st/. US often keeps a slightly more fronted /æ/ while UK may be a touch more centralized in /æ/; AU tends to be similar to UK but with minor vowel breadth and a less pronounced rhotic influence on the following vowel.
The difficulty lies in the cluster /dʒ/ combined with /ə/ or /ɪ/ and the final /st/. Many learners mis-spray the /dʒ/ or blend the syllables, flattening the stress. Focus on sustaining a light, quick /dʒ/, a schwa-like reduction in the second syllable, and a crisp /st/ final to avoid run-on.
No silent letters, but the word has a pronounced first syllable with primary stress and a light second syllable. The /g/ is part of the /dʒ/ digraph, not a hard /g/, and the final /st/ is pronounced. The sequence AG-e-last should be crisp, with the /æ/ vowel clearly distinguished from the second syllable.
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Agelast comes from the Greek agelastos (αγελάστος), composed of a- (not, without) and gelastos (laughter). The root gel- relates to laughter or mirth, aligning with other Greek-derived terms in classical literature. In English, agelast appeared late, primarily through literary or scholarly usage, often to describe a person who cannot be moved to laugh or who rejects mirth as a personal trait. Its first attested appearances surface in the 19th to early 20th centuries in satirical or pseudo-scholarly texts, where it functioned as a flamboyant descriptor for an excessively serious individual. Over time, the word retained its precise meaning (a non-laughing person), rarely entering everyday speech but occasionally used for humorous effect in modern fiction or rhetorical prose. The phonology adapted smoothly into English, with the stress typically on the second syllable in casual speech, though some readers may emphasize the first syllable due to similarity with other Greek-based terms. The semantic shelf remains stable: a person notably averse to laughter, whether out of temperament, philosophy, or social posture. In contemporary usage, it can serve as a satirical label for someone who insists that humor has no place in serious discourse, though it might be perceived as arcane or pretentious if used outside literary contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Agelast" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Agelast"
-ast sounds
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