Word of the Day

: May 27, 2009

jocund

adjective JAH-kund

What It Means

: marked by or suggestive of high spirits and lively mirthfulness

jocund in Context

I had heard that Perry had been in a sour mood lately, so I was surprised and relieved to discover that he was his usual jocund self when he met me for coffee.

Did You Know?

Don't let the etymology of "jocund" play tricks on you. The word comes from "jucundus," a Latin word meaning "agreeable" or "delightful," and ultimately from the Latin verb "juvare," meaning "to help." But "jucundus" looks and sounds a bit like "jocus," the Latin word for "joke." These two roots took a lively romp through many centuries together and along the way the lighthearted "jocus" influenced the spelling and meaning of "jucundus," an interaction that eventually produced our Modern English word "jocund" in the 14th century.