joy

¹

[joi]

noun

1. 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.

   Synonyms: rapture
   Antonyms: grief, sorrow, unhappiness, misery

2. a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated.

   Her prose style is a pure joy.

3. the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.

4. a state of happiness or felicity.

   Synonyms: bliss

verb (used without object)

1. to feel joy; be glad; rejoice.

verb (used with object)

1. Obsolete.,  to gladden.

Joy

²

Or Joye

[joi]

noun

1. a female given name.

joy

/ dʒɔɪ /

noun

1. a deep feeling or condition of happiness or contentment

2. something causing such a feeling; a source of happiness

3. an outward show of pleasure or delight; rejoicing

4. informal,  success; satisfaction

   I went to the bank for a loan, but got no joy

verb

1. (intr) to feel joy

2. obsolete,  (tr) to make joyful; gladden

Other Word Forms

• unjoyed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of joy¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English joy(e), from Old French joie, joye, from Late Latin gaudia, neuter plural (taken as feminine singular) of Latin gaudium “joy,” equivalent to gaud- (base of gaudēre “to be glad”) + -ium -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of joy¹

C13: from Old French joie, from Latin gaudium joy, from gaudēre to be glad

Idioms and Phrases

see burst with (joy); pride and joy.

Synonym Study

See pleasure.

Example Sentences

The judges said: "A novel about how to live, and about the tensions within marriages, set against the most dramatic winter in living memory. It's a joy to read, a nerve-shredding pleasure."

From BBC

"He leaves behind a legacy of sportsmanship, humility and joy - and a legion of admirers across generations," Yorkshire said.

From BBC

Some autistic people may have intense interests, prefer order and routine, and use repeated movements or actions to calm themselves or express joy.

From BBC

She said she kept the prized the correspondence folded inside her books, adding: "Any letter from her was like everything she ever wrote - sparkling and incisive and just a joy to read."

From BBC

“That might be perfect for a screening,” the cinephile says, underscoring the joy in discovering a movie that is so bad it’s good.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• amusement 
• bliss 
• charm 
• cheer 
• comfort 
• delight 
• elation 
• glee 
• humor 
• pride 
• satisfaction 
• wonder