irreverent

UK/ɪəˈɹɛ.və.ɹənt/US/ɪəˈɹɛ.və.ɹənt/

adjectiveC1Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #13,503 of 15,258leans written

Irreverent means showing a cheerful lack of respect. An irreverent tone, irreverent humour, irreverent about everything.

It is nearly always a compliment in modern use, particularly about comedy, and it names a refusal to be solemn rather than an intent to offend. The reverent it negates is genuine deep respect.

Definitions of irreverent

1adjectiveirreverentShowing a cheerful lack of respect.C1
“The comedian's irreverent jokes about the royal family made the audience laugh.”

irreverent is a quality.

Where it comes from

Latin irreverens is in-, not, plus reverens, from revereri, to stand in awe of.

Latin
irreverēns
English, today
irreverent

From Latin irreverēns. by surface analysis, ir- + reverent.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practise this word

irreverent in the wild

When Performing as Sarducci, Novello delivers absurd or irreverent takes on religion, politics, and everyday life in a deadpan, pseudo-authoritative tone.
Father Guido Sarducci
Spy specialized in irreverent and satirical pieces targeting the American media and entertainment industries and mocking high society.
Spy (magazine)
In 2006, in addition to his work as a correspondent, he was featured in "The Mank Blog", an irreverent look at what people are talking about online.
Josh Mankiewicz
The show is a celebration of the British comedy double act Morecambe and Wise, and an irreverent and farcical exploration of the nature of double acts in general.
The Play What I Wrote
The general tone of the magazine was irreverent and subversive, after the manner of The East Village Other and the National Lampoon.
Dodgem Logic

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

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