ioci

ioci is a Latin noun meaning "jokes" or "jest." It is most commonly found as the nominative plural form of iocus, a masculine noun of the second declension. In Latin, ioci can also appear as the genitive singular form, so the same spelling may indicate either “of the joke” (genitive singular) or “the jokes” (nominative plural) depending on context.

The sense of ioci covers jokes, jests, or playful utterances intended to amuse. In classical literature, the term is used to denote humor, witty repartee, or lighthearted speech within dialogue, poetry, and rhetorical passages. As a literary device, ioci can contribute to tone, characterization, or social interaction, rather than to the literal assertion of a statement.

Declension notes: iocus (singular) is the base form, with ioci as the plural nominative, while the genitive singular is also ioci. The word is masculine and belongs to the standard Latin second declension pattern. Its usage is primarily of scholarly interest today, particularly in the study of Latin texts and philology.

Related terms and descendants: the root ioc- appears in various Latin compounds and in discussions of humor and wit in classical language. The English vocabulary that derives from Latin iocus has influenced terms such as jocular and jocund, though ioci itself is not a modern English term.

See also: iocus, Latin grammar, Latin literature, humor in classical rhetoric.