jovial

[joh-vee-uhl]

adjective

1. endowed with or characterized by a hearty, joyous humor or a spirit of good-fellowship.

   a wonderfully jovial host.

   Synonyms: mirthful, joyful, gay, convivial, jolly, merry
   Antonyms: gloomy

2. (initial capital letter),  of or relating to the god Jove, or Jupiter.

jovial

/ ˈdʒəʊvɪəl /

adjective

1. having or expressing convivial humour; jolly

Other Word Forms

• jovially adverb
• jovialness noun
• unjovial adjective
• unjovially adverb
• joviality noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of jovial¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Medieval Latin joviālis “of Jupiter” (the planet, supposed to exert a happy influence), equivalent to Latin jovi- ( Jovian ) + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of jovial¹

C16: from Latin joviālis of (the planet) Jupiter, considered by astrologers to foster good humour

Synonym Study

Jovial, jocose, jocular, jocund agree in referring to someone who is in a good humor. Jovial suggests a hearty, joyous humor: a jovial person. Jocose refers to that which causes laughter; it suggests someone who is playful and given to jesting: with jocose and comical airs. Jocular means humorous, facetious, mirthful, and waggish: jocular enough to keep up the spirits of all around him. Jocund, now a literary word, suggests a cheerful, light-hearted, and sprightly gaiety: glad and jocund company.

Example Sentences

“You picked a chilly time of year to visit Switzerland, if you ask me,” Fredrick said in a jovial tone.

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Penelope went on in the same jovial spirit, for if one unpleasant episode could be made into an amusing anecdote, why not all of them?

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Play is a fitting way to describe Atencio’s contributions to two of Disneyland’s most beloved attractions, where pirates and ghosts are captured at their most frivolous and jovial.

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“I hope people will see me and see a happy, jovial person who has the same heritage as them.”

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José’s father, jovial, strong, always cracking jokes, landed in the hospital with a heart that doctors said was failing.

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Related Words

• affable 
• amiable 
• buoyant 
• cheery 
• chipper 
• convivial 
• cordial 
• festive 
• good-natured 
• jolly 
• lighthearted 
• pleasant 
• sociable