Definition of "gelotology"

Let's not develop a cult of laughology (though the study of laughter in medicine has already been christened gelotology from the Greek root meaning "laughter.") Humor is an important and documented adjunct in the life of both the well and the unwell, but as a therapy it rarely can stand alone.

1996, Robert R. Cadmus, “Humor and Enhanced Well-being in the Later Years”, in Len Sperry, Harry Prosen, editors, Aging in the Twenty-first Century: A Developmental Perspective (Issues in Aging; 5; Garland Reference Library of Social Science; 1053), New York, N.Y., London: Garland Publishing, page 140

One of the founders of gelotology (gelos is Greek for "laughter"), Stanford University professor William F. Fry, also experimented on himself in the early 1960s. He drew blood samples at regular intervals while watching Laurel and Hardy and other comedic movies and had the samples analyzed. He found that laughter enhanced the activity of certain immune system cells responsible for killing infectious pathogens.

2005 October 1, Charmaine Liebertz, “A Healthy Laugh”, in John Rennie, editor, Scientific American‎, New York, N.Y.: Springer Nature American, archived from the original on 2021-09-19

Gelotology, the study of laughter, was established in the late 1960s in an effort to determine the possible physiological and psychological effects humor and laughter can have. One of the pioneers of Gelotology, William F. Fry, a Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, has done extensive research on the physiological benefits of laughter with very encouraging findings.

2013 November 29, Robert T. Muller, “LOL: How Laughter can Improve Your Health”, in Psychology Today‎, New York, N.Y.: Sussex Publishers