Definition of CONVIVIALITY

Did You Know?

Convivial traces to "convivium," a Latin word meaning "banquet," and tends to suggest a mood of full-bellied joviality. Charles Dickens aptly captures that sense in his novel David Copperfield: "We had a beautiful little dinner. Quite an elegant dish of fish; the kidney-end of a loin of veal, roasted; fried sausage-meat; a partridge, and a pudding. There was wine, and there was strong ale.... Mr. Micawber was uncommonly convivial. I never saw him such good company. He made his face shine with the punch, so that it looked as if it had been varnished all over. He got cheerfully sentimental about the town, and proposed success to it."

Examples of convivial in a Sentence

the hiking club attracts a wide range of convivial people who share a love of the outdoors

Recent Examples on the Web In the hilly, decidedly unfussy town of Rossland, book stores and chocolate shops line the main street, setting the tone for the family-friendly ski hill and RED’s convivial après-ski bar, Rafters. — Brigid Mander, WSJ, "5 Uncrowded, Unpretentious Ski Resorts," 6 Feb. 2020 The tasty food, attentive service and convivial atmosphere make this a superior Japanese dining experience. — Dwight Brown, Essence, "Essence Eats: Feast on Toronto’s Multicultural Cuisine," 20 Dec. 2019 Meals are served family-style and mostly at group tables—the vibe is a convivial one that encourages connecting. — Rebecca Misner, Condé Nast Traveler, "Canyon Ranch Woodside: First In," 9 Dec. 2019 Plus, enlisting your guests to contribute to the meal helps create a more communal and convivial party atmosphere. — NBC News, "Chefs and food pros share their best holiday potluck dishes," 9 Dec. 2019 Yet Thanksgiving presents us with an opportunity to develop one of the healthiest, most life-affirming and convivial of all habits -- that of counting and rejoicing in our blessings. — Richard Gunderman, CNN, "Why being thankful is so good for your health," 28 Nov. 2019 Yet Thanksgiving presents us with an opportunity to develop one of the healthiest, most life-affirming and convivial of all habits – that of counting and rejoicing in our blessings. — Richard Gunderman, The Conversation, "Are you as grateful as you deserve to be?," 26 Nov. 2019 The atmosphere is relaxed and convivial; fresh flowers on tables help compensate for an interior that can feel slightly sterile. — Christina Tkacik, baltimoresun.com, "Review: At Noona’s in Baltimore, the chef’s Michelin-starred credentials are on display," 2 Oct. 2019 These convivial and simple gatherings don’t want a fancy dessert that requires plates and garnishes. — Stacey Ballis, chicagotribune.com, "When cocktails inspire dessert — Aperol spritz bars, anyone?," 4 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'convivial.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.