The word comedy dates back to the 1400s, based on the Greek word kōmōidia meaning ‘amusing spectacle’. It occurs in various noun compounds, another example on a similar theme being comedy treasure, though this usually refers more specifically to people in the entertainment industry or entertainment broadcasts, rather than amusing situations in life generally. A newer and rather different example is comedy roast, which refers to an occasion when someone in the entertainment industry, usually a comedian, makes a series of insulting remarks about a public figure or celebrity.

The word comedy dates back to the 1400s, based on the Greek word kōmōidia meaning ‘amusing spectacle’. It occurs in various noun compounds, another example on a similar theme being comedy treasure, though this usually refers more specifically to people in the entertainment industry or entertainment broadcasts, rather than amusing situations in life generally. A newer and rather different example is comedy roast, which refers to an occasion when someone in the entertainment industry, usually a comedian, makes a series of insulting remarks about a public figure or celebrity.