Have you pulled any April Fools’ pranks? “Waggish” is an old-fashioned word that describes someone or something that is humorous in a playful way, and the base word can be used for similar effect. “Wag” is a noun that refers to a class clown or joker, while “waggery” describes a situation of general merriment and mischievousness. In Australia and New Zealand, a “wag” is someone playing hooky from school.