the state of being happy, especially in a high degree; bliss.
marital felicity.
an instance of this.
a source of happiness.
a skillful faculty.
felicity of expression.
an instance or display of this.
the many felicities of the poem.
Archaic. good fortune.
happiness; joy
a cause of happiness
an appropriate expression or style
the quality or display of such expressions or style
philosophy appropriateness (of a speech act). The performative I appoint you ambassador can only possess felicity if uttered by one in whom the authority for such appointments is vested
See happiness.
1350–1400; Middle English felicite (from Anglo-French ) from Latin fēlīcitās, equivalent to fēlīci- (stem of fēlīx ) “happy” + -tās -ty 2
Felicity is a state of happiness or the quality of joy. Sitting on the roof with a telescope and iced tea on a clear, starry night is one way to find perfect felicity — a happy place. Felicity comes from the Latin fēlīcitās, meaning "happiness." A synonym for felicity is "blissfulness." People, places, and things can have felicity: "His personality was so warm and full of felicity that we felt at ease the minute we met him." Or you can be in a state of felicity: "A full stomach, a fluffy couch, and the felicity of a Sunday-afternoon nap."
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Serenity, personal growth and felicity may not be seductive topics for a contemporary R&B record.
From New York Times • Apr. 28, 2022
Rogoyska’s “Surviving Katyń: Stalin’s Polish Massacre and the Search for Truth” won the $10,000 Mark Lynton History Prize for combining “intellectual distinction with felicity of expression.”
From Seattle Times • Mar. 23, 2022
Neglecting to explore this gives the viewer little reason to witness that struggle beyond the lesson of it; there must be, should be, the counterbalancing representation of felicity, and in large doses.
From Salon • Dec. 16, 2020
As Anne Enright noted years ago, “Hadley, for all the felicity of her prose style, is an immensely subversive writer.”
From The Guardian • Feb. 9, 2019
Mr. Philips visited them all, and this opened to his nieces a source of felicity unknown before.
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
