First Known Use: 13th century
Dictionary
joy
1joy
noun \ˈjȯi\
: a feeling of great happiness
: a source or cause of great happiness : something or someone that gives joy to someone
: success in doing, finding, or getting something
Full Definition of JOY
1
2
:Â a state of happiness or felicity :Â bliss
3
:Â a source or cause of delight
— joy·less \-lÉ™s\ adjective
— joy·less·ly adverb
— joy·less·ness noun
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Examples of JOY
- Their sorrow turned to joy.
- I can hardly express the joy I felt at seeing her again.
- Seeing her again brought tears of joy to my eyes.
- The flowers are a joy to behold!
- What a joy it was to see her again.
Origin of JOY
Middle English, from Anglo-French joie, from Latin gaudia, plural of gaudium, from gaudēre to rejoice; probably akin to Greek gēthein to rejoice
Related to JOY
- Synonyms
- beatitude, blessedness, bliss, blissfulness, felicity, gladness, happiness, warm fuzzies
- Antonyms
- calamity, ill-being, misery, sadness, unhappiness, wretchedness
2joy
verb
Definition of JOY
intransitive verb
:Â to experience great pleasure or delight :Â rejoice
transitive verb
1
archaic :Â gladden
2
archaic :Â enjoy
Examples of JOY
- <the whole town is joying in the fact that its oldest church has been restored to its Victorian splendor>
First Known Use of JOY
14th century
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