1
: characterized by good-humored cheerfulness and conviviality : jolly
a jovial host
a jovial welcome
spent a jovial evening together
2
capitalized
: of or relating to Jove
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Jovial and Birth Dates
In Roman astrology, planets were named after gods, and people were thought to share the personality traits of the god whose planet was rising when they were born. Jupiter, also called Jove, was the chief Roman god and was considered a majestic type who was the source of joy and happiness. The Latin adjective jovialis means "of or relating to Jove." In French, this had become jovial, which English borrowed and used to describe people and things full of cheer or joy.
Examples of jovial in a Sentence
In response, an infuriating wink: Alsana always likes to appear jovial at the very moment that her interlocutor becomes hot under the collar.
—
Zadie Smith, White Teeth, 2001
I felt I was slumming, in my own life. My task was to ward off the drivel … the jovial claptrap of classmates and teachers, the maddening bromides I heard at home.
—Susan Sontag, New Yorker, 21 Dec. 1987
For, the people who were shovelling away on the housetops were jovial and full of glee; calling out to one another from the parapets, and now and then exchanging a facetious snowball …
—Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, 1843
The audience was in a jovial mood.
He's a very jovial man.
Zadie Smith, White Teeth, 2001
I felt I was slumming, in my own life. My task was to ward off the drivel … the jovial claptrap of classmates and teachers, the maddening bromides I heard at home.
—Susan Sontag, New Yorker, 21 Dec. 1987
For, the people who were shovelling away on the housetops were jovial and full of glee; calling out to one another from the parapets, and now and then exchanging a facetious snowball …
—Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, 1843
The audience was in a jovial mood.
He's a very jovial man.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Network Brass Winnie Landell (Helen Hunt) Photo: Courtesy of Max
This network executive responsible for Late Night with Deborah Vance’s success is jovial yet mean in the way that only a woman who’s worked in Hollywood for too long and has seen way too much can be.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2025
All that gnashing and suckling is old hat — as old as the burgundy fedora Jordan slips on when playing the more jovial of these brothers in arms.
—A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2025
Like Beethoven, Tharp creates a utilitarian theme as a jumping-off point for mostly jovial dalliances between gaggles of dancers and a rather pleasant power struggle between the dancers, pianist Vladimir Rumyantsev, who plays live from the orchestra pit — and the audience.
—Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
One of the most striking elements of the campaign was the inclusion of comedy legend Dave Chappelle as the narrator, sharing seriousness followed by jovial excitement for achievement.
—Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jovial
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Emma Specter, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2025
All that gnashing and suckling is old hat — as old as the burgundy fedora Jordan slips on when playing the more jovial of these brothers in arms.
—A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2025
Like Beethoven, Tharp creates a utilitarian theme as a jumping-off point for mostly jovial dalliances between gaggles of dancers and a rather pleasant power struggle between the dancers, pianist Vladimir Rumyantsev, who plays live from the orchestra pit — and the audience.
—Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
One of the most striking elements of the campaign was the inclusion of comedy legend Dave Chappelle as the narrator, sharing seriousness followed by jovial excitement for achievement.
—Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jovial
Cite this Entry
“Jovial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jovial. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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