noun
witty talk; joking; clever banter
Archaic or literary term for light, amusing conversation or witty remarks. Rare in modern speech; may appear in classical texts or stylized writing.
彼のくちおかしに、一座はどっと笑った。
At his witty talk, the whole company burst into laughter.
古典文学には、くちおかしな場面がよく出てくる。
In classical literature, scenes of clever banter often appear.
洒落 refers to a pun or witty remark, often a short quip, whereas くちおかし implies a more extended, conversational wit.
Compound of 口 (mouth, speech) and 可笑し (funny, amusing). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it follows a pattern of classical compounds describing qualities of speech.