joy
pronunciation
How to pronounce joy in British English:
UK [dʒɔɪ]
How to pronounce joy in American English:
US [dʒɔɪ]
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- Noun:
- the emotion of great happiness
- something or someone that provides pleasure; a source of happiness
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- Verb:
- feel happiness or joy
- make glad or happy
Word Origin
- joy
- joy: [13] Latin gaudēre meant ‘rejoice’ (it came from a prehistoric base *gāu-, which also produced Greek gēthein ‘rejoice’). From it was derived the noun gaudium ‘joy’, which passed into English via Old French joye. From the same source come English enjoy and rejoice. The use of joystick for the ‘control stick of an aircraft’ (perhaps inspired by an earlier slang sense ‘penis’) dates from around 1910.=> enjoy, rejoice
- joy (n.)
- c. 1200, "feeling of pleasure and delight;" c. 1300, "source of pleasure or happiness," from Old French joie (11c.), from Latin gaudia, plural of gaudium "joy," from gaudere "rejoice," from PIE root *gau- "to rejoice" (cognates: Greek gaio "I rejoice," Middle Irish guaire "noble"). Joy-riding is American English, 1908.
Synonym
laughter blithesomeness exultation rejoicing gaiety cheer glee gladness cheerfulness levity exhilaration jollity jubilance sunshine enthusiasm jocundity jubilation mirthfulness joviality hilarity frolic optimism joyousness elation mirth blitheness gayness merriment excitement joyfulness
Example
- 1. Is it something that consistently brings you joy ?
- 2. My three children have brought me great joy .
- 3. A certain continuity in despair can give birth to joy .
- 4. When either your joy or your sorrow becomes great the world becomes small .
- 5. Joy swung high in the air and gleamed back .