PLEASANTRY, noun plez'antry. Gayety; merriment. The harshness of reasoning is not a little softened and smoothed by the infusions of mirth and pleasantry 1. Sprightly saying; lively talk; effusion of humor. The grave abound in pleasantries, the dull in repartees and points of wit.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI