glee

¹

[glee]

noun

1. open delight or pleasure; exultant joy; exultation.

   Synonyms: gaiety, joviality, mirth, hilarity, jollity, merriment

2. an unaccompanied part song for three or more voices, popular especially in the 18th century.

glee

²

[glee]

verb (used without object)

1. to squint or look with one eye.

noun

1. a squint.

2. an imperfect eye, especially one with a cast.

glee

/ ɡliː /

noun

1. great merriment or delight, often caused by someone else's misfortune

2. a type of song originating in 18th-century England, sung by three or more unaccompanied voices Compare madrigal

Word History and Origins

Origin of glee¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English glēo; cognate with Old Norse glȳ; akin to glow

Origin of glee²

1250–1300; Middle English glien, gleen; perhaps < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse gljā to shine

Word History and Origins

Origin of glee¹

Old English gléo; related to Old Norse glӯ

Synonym Study

See mirth.

Example Sentences

She offered more cake to the Incorrigibles, who accepted with glee.

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But the shock soon wore off, and she began to await each postal delivery with glee.

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There’s this glee in the evolving of the two of them, which is really fun to play.

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Still, I’m going to stick with Paulson’s obvious glee in playing a villain.

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Will they let this takeover happen, call for conversation over condemnation to the glee of Fuentes and his followers?

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Related Words

• delight 
• elation 
• exhilaration 
• exuberance 
• joy 
• pleasure 
• verve