jokey

the word 'jokey' is a modern english formation, emerging in the early 18th century. it is constructed by appending the productive english adjective-forming suffix '-y', which denotes 'characterized by' or 'full of', to the noun 'joke'. the noun 'joke' itself entered english in the late 17th century, its origins obscure but likely from latin 'jocus', meaning a jest or pastime, via old french 'jeu' (game). the semantic logic is transparent: 'jokey' literally means 'having the character of a joke', thus describing someone or something that is playful, humorous, or given to jesting.

the word is a simplex form derived from the noun 'joke' with the addition of the adjectival suffix '-y'. it is not segmentable into independent, meaningful morphemes beyond this derivational process.