joie de vivre

noun

joie de vi·​vre ˌzhwä-də-ˈvēvrᵊ 

: keen or buoyant enjoyment of life

He radiates a vitalizing energy, the zest and gaiety of an inexhaustible joie de vivre.

—Robert Kuttner

Examples of joie de vivre in a Sentence

She is admired for her energy and joie de vivre.

Recent Examples on the Web

Joie de vivre Happy-go-lucky hounds have an abundance of joie de vivre, a French phrase that refers to a cheerful and exuberant enjoyment of life. —Aditya Simha, The Conversation, 7 May 2026

Surrounded by honeymooners, June tries (and flirts) to reclaim her joie de vivre, while Lela is deep in the dark. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 May 2026

If The House is Burning captured the joie de vivre of reclaiming your life after years of disassociation and detachment, IT’S BEEN AWFUL depicts the excruciating process of living with your eyes wide open, of holding up the mirror to your face and not looking away. —Brady Brickner-Wood, Pitchfork, 6 May 2026

There’s a lot of joie de vivre. —Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, joy of living

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for joie de vivre

• unbeliever
• achiever
• believer
• deceiver
• perceiver
• receiver
• reliever
• retriever
• transceiver
• cleaver
• fever
• leaver