jocund

American  

[jok-uhnd, joh-kuhnd] / ˈdʒɒk ənd, ˈdʒoʊ kənd /

adjective

1. cheerful; merry; blithe; glad.

   a witty and jocund group.

   Synonyms:

   jolly, blithesome, joyful, joyous

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jocund British  

/ dʒəʊˈkʌndɪtɪ, ˈdʒɒkənd /

adjective

1. of a humorous temperament; merry

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Related Words

See jovial.

Other Word Forms

• jocundity noun
• jocundly adverb
• quasi-jocund adjective
• quasi-jocundly adverb
• unjocund adjective

Etymology

Origin of jocund

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English jocound, from Late Latin jocundus, alteration of Latin jūcundus “pleasant,” equivalent to ju(vāre) “to help, benefit, please, delight” + -cundus adjective suffix

Explanation

You know that teacher who always has a goofy smile on his face and a bad pun for the kids? He's got a jocund personality, meaning he's merry and cheerful. The word jocund came from the influence of two Latin words, jocundus, which means pleasant, and jocus, which is just what it sounds like: a joke. Usually the word is used to describe people, but not always. Say your family gets together every year for a big, merry barbecue — you could describe it as a jocund gathering, or a jocund weekend. It's a sort of old-fashioned word, though, so use it sparingly.

Example Sentences

The book would have paired Hughes’s fervent poem about the pain of subjugation with Brown’s jocund illustrations of a lion:

From New York Times • May 25, 2023

The rest of the poem is about what “a jocund company” they make.

From Washington Post • Jun. 11, 2020

That last part is a bit of cheek for effect, deleted quickly by a green cursor, a taste of the jocund energy that informs this six-part limited series.

From Salon • Jan. 12, 2019

Yes of course I am as jocund and elated as the next chiel at the success of Andy Murray and Chris Hoy and all those nice rowers and sailors.

From The Guardian • Oct. 13, 2012

Hither flock the jocund burgesses, and dance to the sound of harp and viol.

From The Catholic World; Volume I, Issues 1-6 A Monthly Eclectic Magazine by Rameur, E.