joy
[joi]
- the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation: She felt the joy of seeing her son's success.
- a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated: Her prose style is a pure joy.
- the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.
- a state of happiness or felicity.
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- to feel joy; be glad; rejoice.
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- Obsolete. to gladden.
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Origin of joy
1175–1225; Middle English joy(e) < Old French joie, joye < Late Latin gaudia, neuter plural (taken as feminine singular) of Latin gaudium joy, equivalent to gaud- (base of gaudēre to be glad) + -ium -ium
Synonyms
See more synonyms for joy on Thesaurus.comAntonyms
1. misery, unhappiness, sorrow, grief.
Joy
or Joye
[joi]
- a female given name.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for joy
Contemporary Examples
It jettisons jiggling ribbons of joy to every part of my body.
Marrying another Jew was not just a personal simcha (joy), but one for the community.
Joy Woodhouse calls in to tell her bickering boys Brad and Dallas to “get this out of your system” before Christmas.
It is a joy to watch Shafer seamlessly work incisive commentary on contemporary life into a fast-paced spine-chiller.
Taking the time to thank our federal, state, and local bureaucracies for all the joy they bring us every day.
Historical Examples
On the contrary, indeed, he appeared to joy immensely in Percival's way of life.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
The tidings were hailed with joy; not only by the young couple, but by all the villagers.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
Kiss me, my brother, and let my tears run only from my pride and joy!
What a joy it was to get away from stuffy courts of justice into the pure Warwickshire air.
VivietteWilliam J. Locke
He was received with joy for the service he had rendered to the Italian people.
The Grand Old ManRichard B. Cook
joy
- a deep feeling or condition of happiness or contentment
- something causing such a feeling; a source of happiness
- an outward show of pleasure or delight; rejoicing
- British informal success; satisfactionI went to the bank for a loan, but got no joy
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- (intr) to feel joy
- (tr) obsolete to make joyful; gladden
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Word Origin
C13: from Old French joie, from Latin gaudium joy, from gaudēre to be glad
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for joy
n.
c.1200, "feeling of pleasure and delight;" c.1300, "source of pleasure or happiness," from Old French joie (11c.), from Latin gaudia, plural of gaudium "joy," from gaudere "rejoice," from PIE root *gau- "to rejoice" (cf. Greek gaio "I rejoice," Middle Irish guaire "noble"). Joy-riding is American English, 1908.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with joy
joy
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.