JOY


Meaning of JOY in English

/joy/ , n.

1. the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation: She felt the joy of seeing her son's success.

2. a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated: Her prose style is a pure joy.

3. the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.

4. a state of happiness or felicity.

v.i.

5. to feel joy; be glad; rejoice.

v.t.

6. Obs. to gladden.

[ 1175-1225; ME joy ( e ) joie, joye gaudia, neut. pl. (taken as fem. sing.) of L gaudium joy, equiv. to gaud- (base of gaudere to be glad) + -ium -IUM ]

Syn. 1. rapture. 4. bliss. See pleasure .

Ant. 1. misery, unhappiness, sorrow, grief.

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .