jolly

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈdʒɑli/ UK /ˈdʒɒli/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
cheerful and good-humored; (British) very or extremely

The jolly innkeeper welcomed every traveler with a grin.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · cheerful and good-humored;... cheerful merry jovial genial jauntymirthfulconvivial

Opposites

sad gloomy morose sullen

Word family

Forms jollificationjollity

Derived forms jollityjollinessjollify

Simplified etymology

Jolly entered Middle English from Old French jolif, meaning “merry, handsome, or lively.” It may ultimately be related to the Old Norse jól, the name of the midwinter festival that also gave English Yule, though this connection is uncertain.

Etymology

From Middle English 'joli', from Old French 'jolif' ('merry, festive, pretty'), of uncertain origin, possibly from Old Norse 'jól' ('Yule, midwinter feast').

jolif Old French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# jolly

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈdʒɑli/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈdʒɒli/

## Meanings
1. cheerful and good-humored; (British) very or extremely

## Examples
- The jolly innkeeper welcomed every traveler with a grin.

## Synonyms
- cheerful
- merry
- jovial
- genial
- jaunty
- mirthful
- convivial

## Antonyms
- sad
- gloomy
- morose
- sullen

## Derived Forms
- jollity
- jolliness
- jollify

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: jolif

## Etymology
From Middle English 'joli', from Old French 'jolif' ('merry, festive, pretty'), of uncertain origin, possibly from Old Norse 'jól' ('Yule, midwinter feast').

## AI Etymology
Jolly comes from Middle English 'joli', from Old French 'jolif' ('merry, festive, pretty'), of uncertain origin, possibly from Old Norse 'jól' ('Yule, midwinter feast'). The etymological trail includes Old French jolif. As an adjective, jolly means cheerful and good-humored; (British) very or extremely. The same family is visible in derived forms such as jollity, jolliness, and jollify. The uncertainty belongs to the older derivation, so the explanation should preserve alternatives rather than choosing one unsupported origin.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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