from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Droll \Droll\ (dr[=o]l), a. [Compar. {Droller}; superl.
{Drollest}.] [F. dr[^o]le; cf. G. & D. drollig, LG. drullig,
D. drol a thick and short person, a droll, Sw. troll a
magical appearance, demon, trolla to use magic arts, enchant,
Dan. trold elf, imp, Icel. tr["o]ll giant, magician, evil
spirit, monster. If this is the origin, cf. {Trull}.]
Queer, and fitted to provoke laughter; ludicrous from oddity;
amusing and strange.
Syn: Comic; comical; farcical; diverting; humorous;
ridiculous; queer; odd; waggish; facetious; merry;
laughable; ludicrous. -- {Droll}, {Laughable},
{Comical}. Laughable is the generic term, denoting
anything exciting laughter or worthy of laughter;
comical denotes something of the kind exhibited in
comedies, something humorous of the kind exhibited in
comedies, something, as it were, dramatically humorous;
droll stands lower on the scale, having reference to
persons or things which excite laughter by their
buffoonery or oddity. A laughable incident; a comical
adventure; a droll story.
[1913 Webster]