HIGH-lar-i-us (adj): A particularly clever yet unpretentious joke or situation which does not readily present itself as humorous absent higher intellectual processing. The rare occurrence where a British-style pun is actually quite
funny. This
definition, however, explicitly excludes esoteric, disciplinary humor such as that shared amongst
PhD candidates, law-students and anyone remotely associated with the New Yorker.
1. It took me a while to realize that John
Doe was actually highlarious.
2. "Everybody Loves Raymond" is neither highlarious, nor remotely
funny for that matter. See: crimes against humanity.