joy
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: joi
ipa: /d͡ʒɔɪ/
rhymes: -ɔɪ
Forms: form: joys
Etymology: The noun is from Middle English joye, borrowed from Old French joie, from Late Latin gaudia, neuter plural (mistaken as feminine singular) of Latin gaudium (“joy”), from gaudēre (“to be glad, rejoice”). Doublet of jo and gaudy (“Oxford college reunion”). Displaced native Old English ġefēa.
The interjection is from the noun.
The verb is from Middle English joyen, joȝen, joien, from Old French jöir, from the Old French noun (see above).
Senses: examples: text: a child's joy on Christmas morning
text: It is his joy to walk in the rain.
text: […]purſued his vnneighbourly purpoſe in ſuch ſort: that hee being the ſtronger perſwader, and ſhe (belike) too credulous in beleeuing or elſe ouer-feeble in reſiſting, from priuate imparlance, they fell to action; and continued their cloſe fight a long while together, vnſeene and vvithout ſuſpition, no doubt to their equall ioy and contentment.
ref: 1620, Giovanni Bocaccio, translated by John Florio, The Decameron, Containing an Hundred Pleaſant Nouels: Wittily Diſcourſed, Betweene Seuen Honourable Ladies, and Three Noble Gentlemen, Isaac Iaggard, Nouell 8, The Eighth Day:
text: It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.
ref: 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
synonyms: word: elation
word: glee
word: blitheness
word: blithesomeness
word: cheerfulness
word: cheeriness
word: contentness
word: contentedness
word: delight
word: delightedness
word: elatedness
word: elation
word: exuberance
word: exuberantness
word: felicity
word: gaiety
word: gayness
word: gayfulness
word: gladness
word: gladsomeness
word: glee
word: gleefulness
word: gleesomeness
word: happiness
word: high spirits
word: hilarity
word: jolliness
word: jollity
word: joviality
word: jovialness
word: joy
word: joyfulness
word: joyousness
word: liss
word: merriment
word: merriness
word: mirth
word: mirthfulness
word: pleasedness
antonyms: word: infelicity
word: joylessness
word: unhappiness
word: unjoy
word: happiness
glosses: A feeling of extreme happiness or cheerfulness, especially related to the acquisition or expectation of something good.
examples: text: the joys and demands of parenthood
text: For, ye are our glory and ioy.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Thessalonians 2:20:
text: A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
ref: 1818, John Keats, “Book I”, in Endymion: A Poetic Romance, London: […] T[homas] Miller, […] for Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC, page 1:
glosses: Anything that causes such a feeling.
examples: text: Grant had no joy with taking a nap, so he began to systematically feel if everything was working: fingers and toes, etc.
ref: 2012, Colin Owen, Colin's Shorts, volume 2, page 65:
text: 'Rob? It's Gary. Are you having any joy with this trip to Bali?' 'No joy at all, mate. I reckon Bali's out for the foreseeable future. […]
ref: 2012, Robert Stansbridge, Bia's Wedding, page 4:
glosses: Luck or success; a positive outcome.
examples: text: Such ioy made Vna, when her knight she found;
ref: 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 32:
text: The roofs with joy resound.
ref: 1717, John Dryden [et al.], “(please specify |book=I to XV)”, in Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Fifteen Books. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
glosses: The sign or exhibition of joy; gaiety; merriment; festivity.
Derived terms: sense: Terms derived from joy
word: bundle of joy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: cocky's joy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: comparison is the thief of joy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: daughter of joy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: enjoy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: enjoyment
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: jollily
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: jolliness
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: jolly
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyance
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyancy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyant
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joy-bell
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joy bell
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joy buzzer
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joy division
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joydom
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyflight
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyful
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyfully
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyfulness
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joygasm
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joy girl
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyhood
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyhop
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joy house
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyish
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joy juice
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joy killer
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyless
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joylessly
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joylessness
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joylike
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyment
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyness
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyous
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyously
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyousness
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joypad
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joypop
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joy powder
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joyride
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joy ride
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joysome
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joysomeness
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joystick
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joy-to-stuff ratio
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: joy wheel
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: jump for joy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: killjoy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: kill-joy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: leap for joy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: no joy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: non-joyous
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: oh joy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: overjoy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: pride and joy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: rejoice
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: rejoicement
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: rejoy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: shared joy is double joy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: simpler's joy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: traveler's joy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: traveller's joy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: unjolly
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: unjoy
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: unjoyous
sense: Terms derived from joy
word: wish one joy of it