joy

Pronunciation: /d͡ʒɔɪ/

Reading level: medium

Estimated CEFR level: A2 — Elementary

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun the emotion of great happiness
  2. noun something or someone that provides a source of happiness
  3. verb feel happiness or joy

Etymology

The noun is from Middle English joye, borrowed from Old French joie, from Late Latin gaudia, neuter plural (mistaken as feminine singular) of Latin gaudium (“joy”), from gaudēre (“to be glad, rejoice”). Doublet of jo and gaudy (“Oxford college reunion”). Displaced native Old English ġefēa. The interjection is from the noun. The verb is from Middle English joyen, joȝen, joien, from Old French jöir, from the Old French noun (see above).

In classic literature

Synonyms

joyousness, joyfulness

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
emotion
Narrower (hyponyms)
exultation, exhilaration, elation, exuberance
Opposite (antonyms)
sorrow

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