joy
Part of speech: noun
verb
Morphological type: simple
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).
Inflected forms:
form: joys
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: joys
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: joying
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: joyed
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: joyed
pos: verb
tags: past
Senses:
gloss: A feeling of extreme happiness or cheerfulness, especially related to the acquisition or expectation of something good.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: a child's joy on Christmas morning
It is his joy to walk in the rain.
[…]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.
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.
gloss: Anything that causes such a feeling.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: the joys and demands of parenthood
For, ye are our glory and ioy.
A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
gloss: Luck or success; a positive outcome.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: Grant had no joy with taking a nap, so he began to systematically feel if everything was working: fingers and toes, etc.
'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. […]
gloss: The sign or exhibition of joy; gaiety; merriment; festivity.
pos: noun
tags: countable
obsolete
uncountable
examples: Such ioy made Vna, when her knight she found;
The roofs with joy resound.
gloss: To feel joy, to rejoice.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: for oftymes or this oure lord shewed hym vnto good men and vnto good knyghtes in lykenes of an herte But I suppose from hens forth ye shalle see no more / and thenne they Ioyed moche / and dwelled ther alle that day / And vpon the morowe whan they had herde masse / they departed and commaunded the good man to god
I joy to see you wear around your neck the holy relic I bestowed on you;—but what Moorish charmlet is that you wear beside it?
1885, Richard Francis Burton (translator), The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 18, “Tale of the Portress,” p. 178,
I swore readily enough to this and he joyed with exceeding joy and embraced me round the neck while love for him possessed my whole heart.
gloss: To enjoy.
pos: verb
tags: archaic
transitive
examples: I haue my wish, in that I ioy thy sight,
For from the time that Scudamour her bought,
In perilous fight, she neuer ioyed day […].
Is this the Love, is this the recompence
Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve, exprest
Immutable when thou wert lost, not I,
Who might have liv’d and joyd immortal bliss,
Yet willingly chose rather Death with thee:
gloss: To give joy to; to congratulate.
pos: verb
tags: obsolete
transitive
examples: Then round our Death-bed ev'ry Friend ſhou'd run, / And joy us of our Conqueſt, early won: […]
Evil like Us they shun, and covet Good;
Abhor the Poison, and receive the Food.
Like Us they love or hate: like Us they know,
To joy the Friend, or grapple with the Foe.
gloss: To gladden; to make joyful; to exhilarate.
pos: verb
tags: obsolete
transitive
examples: Yet neither pleasure’s art can joy my spirits,
Nor yet the other’s distance comfort me.
Derived words: bundle of joy
City of Joy
cocky's joy
comparison is the thief of joy
daughter of joy
enjoy
enjoyment
jollily
jolliness
jolly
joyance
joyancy
joyant
joy bell
joy-bell
joy buzzer
joy division
joydom
joyflight
joyful
joyfully
joyfulness
joygasm
joy girl
joyhood
joyhop
joy house
joyish
joy juice
joy killer
joyless
joylessly
joylessness
joylike
joyment
joyness
joyous
joyously
joyousness
joypad
joypop
joy powder
joy ride
joyride
joysome
joysomeness
joystick
joy-to-stuff ratio
joy toy
joy wheel
jump for joy
killjoy
kill-joy
leap for joy
moon joy
no joy
non-joyous
oh joy
overjoy
pride and joy
rejoice
rejoicement
rejoy
shared joy is double joy
simpler's joy
traveler's joy
traveller's joy
unjolly
unjoy
unjoyous
wish one joy of it
unjoyed
Translations: