German word

komisch

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈkoːmɪʃ/

Meaning

  • adjectivestrange

Example

Das Verhalten ist komisch.

The behavior is strange.

Illustration for komisch (strange)

More examples

Sein Lachen klang komisch.

His laugh sounded strange.

Core concept

A person or event that seems oddly unlike the normal pattern, sometimes in an amusing way.

Common phrases

  • komisch aussehen

    look strange

  • sich komisch benehmen

    behave strangely

  • komisch rüberkommen

    come across as strange

Similar words

lustig: Pleasantly entertaining and naturally likely to make people laugh.
witzig: Funny because of a clever joke, remark, or unexpected action.
seltsam: Unusual in a puzzling way that makes something seem a little odd.
merkwürdig: Unusually strange in a way that draws attention and resists easy explanation.

Definition in German

Ungewöhnlich oder eigenartig; im umgangssprachlichen Gebrauch auch lustig im Sinne von zum Lachen reizend.

Word origin

The adjective komisch derives from Latin comicus through the language of comedy and later acquired a broader sense of odd or unusual.

Usage tips

  • In Das Verhalten ist komisch, komisch commonly means strange, while a clearly humorous meaning is often expressed with lustig or witzig.

Other meanings

  • funnyadjective
  • comicaladjective

Opposites

Related words

  • Komikercomediannoun
  • komischerweiseoddlyadverb

Word lists with this word