Link Centre Dictionary

joy

UK/d͡ʒɔɪ/ US/d͡ʒɔɪ/ common
noun (2) verb (2)

noun

1.
2.

something or someone that provides pleasure; a source of happiness

  • “a joy to behold”
  • “the pleasure of his company”
  • “the new car is a delight”
Synonyms

verb

1.

feel happiness or joy

Synonyms
2.

make glad or happy

Synonyms
Antonyms

Origin

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).

Phrases

  • bundle of joy
  • City of Joy
  • cocky's joy
  • comparison is the thief of joy
  • daughter of joy
  • joy bell
  • joy buzzer
  • joy division
  • Mount Joy

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

Causes

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.