Definition of: banter

(ban′tər) noun
Good-humored ridicule; raillery; repartee.
—v.t. To tease or ridicule good-naturedly.
—v.i. To exchange good-natured repartee. [Origin unknown]
—ban′·ter·er noun
—ban′ter·ing·ly adverb Synonyms (noun): badinage, chaff, derision, irony, jeering, mockery, raillery, ridicule, sarcasm, satire. Banter is the touching upon some unimportant fault or weakness of another in a way half to pique and half to please; badinage is delicate, refined banter. Raillery has more sharpness, but is usually good-humored and well-meant. Irony, the saying one thing that the reverse may be understood, may be either mild or bitter. Ridicule makes a person or thing the subject of contemptuous merriment; derision seeks to make the object derided seem utterly despicable
—to laugh it to scorn. Jeering is loud, rude ridicule, as of a hostile crowd or mob. Mockery may include mimicry and personal violence, as well as scornful speech. A satire is a formal composition; a sarcasm may be an impromptu sentence. The satire shows up follies to keep people from them; the sarcasm hits them because they are foolish, without inquiring whether it will do good or harm. See MOCK, RIDICULE.