joy
[ joi ]
/ dʒɔɪ /
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noun
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.
verb (used without object)
to feel joy; be glad; rejoice.
verb (used with object)
Obsolete. to gladden.
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Origin of joy
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
synonym study for joy
4. See pleasure.
OTHER WORDS FROM joy
un·joyed, adjectiveOther definitions for joy (2 of 2)
Joy
or Joye
[ joi ]
/ dʒɔɪ /
noun
a female given name.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use joy in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for joy
joy
/ (dʒɔɪ) /
noun
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
verb
(intr) to feel joy
(tr) obsolete to make joyful; gladden
Word Origin for joy
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
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Other Idioms and Phrases with joy
joy
see burst with (joy); pride and joy.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.