convivial
adjective
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Convivial is a cheerful word that typically suggests a mood of full-bellied delight in good food, good drink, and good company, which Charles Dickens aptly captures 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." Convivial traces back to the Latin word convivium, meaning "banquet," which in turn comes from the verb vivere, meaning "to live." The word is in good company, as vivere has breathed plenty of life into the English language; other common descendants include survive, revive, vivid, and vivacious.
Examples of convivial in a Sentence
Denni Hu, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
Owned by Krizzia Yanga, the convivial space done up with bamboo seats and green plants for a tropical vibe is best known for its Boodle Nights.
—Katie Chang, AFAR Media, 31 Oct. 2025
But bars are convivial places, and right now Hart needs that connection.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
Your reputation receives a loving boost when the Libra moon meets convivial Venus.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for convivial
Cite this Entry
“Convivial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/convivial. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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