mirth

mirth

noun \ˈmərth\

Definition of MIRTH

: gladness or gaiety as shown by or accompanied with laughter

— mirth·ful \-fəl\ adjective

— mirth·ful·ly \-fə-lē\ adverb

— mirth·ful·ness noun

— mirth·less \-ləs\ adjective

— mirth·less·ly \-lē\ adverb

Examples of MIRTH

1. Her clumsy attempt to cut the cake was the cause of much mirth.
2. <as charming as your mutual mirth is, could you refrain from nudging each other and giggling during class?>

Origin of MIRTH

Middle English, from Old English myrgth, from myrge merry — more at merry

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to MIRTH

Synonyms

cheer, cheerfulness, cheeriness, festivity, gaiety (also gayety), gayness, glee, gleefulness, hilarity, jocundity, joviality, merriment, merriness, mirthfulness

Related Words

frivolity, levity; jollification, jollity, reveling (or revelling), revelry; brightness, buoyancy, good-humoredness, good-naturedness, humor, sunniness; gamesomeness, insouciance, lightheartedness, playfulness, sportiveness; buffoonery, clownishness, flippancy, funning, jest, jesting, jocoseness, jocosity, jocularity, joking, joshing; animation, giddiness, jauntiness, liveliness, perkiness, vivacity; joyfulness, joyousness, jubilance, rejoicing; frolicking, gamboling (or gambolling), rollicking, romping

Near Antonyms

blues, dejection, depression, despondence, forlornness, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness; bile, gloom, melancholy, sourness, spleen; earnestness, graveness, gravity, grimness, seriousness, soberness, sobersidedness, solemnity, solemnness; discontent, disgruntlement, moodiness; dolefulness, dolorousness, joylessness, mournfulness, plaintiveness, woe, woefulness; blackness, darkness, gloominess, glumness; desolateness, desolation; heartbreak, miserableness, misery, mourning, wretchedness

Rhymes with MIRTH

berth, birth, dearth, earth, firth, girth, Perth, worth