joy

A2 Topic:Emotions & Feelings

US /d͡ʒɔɪ/ See IPA manual

Freq #1684

Meanings

1

noun
A feeling of great happiness.

Her face was full of joy when she won.
2

noun
A person or thing that brings happiness.

Her grandchildren are a real joy to her.
3

noun
Success or a good result.

I tried to fix the car but had no joy.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a feeling of great happiness. delight elation

2 noun · a person or thing that... pleasure

Word family

Forms joylessjoys

Derived forms enjoy enjoymentjollilyjollinessjollyjoy-belljoyancejoyancyjoyantjoydomjoyflightjoyful

Appears in

Phrases (2)

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Proverbs (1)

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The joy is in the journey

Simplified etymology

Joy came into Middle English from Old French joie, based on Latin gaudium, which derives from gaudere, “to rejoice.” The same family gave English enjoy and rejoice.

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).

joye Middle English joie Old French gaudia la-lat gaudium Latin joyen Middle English jöir Old French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Emotions & Feelings

External links

# joy

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /d͡ʒɔɪ/
**Frequency rank:** 1684

## Meanings
1. A feeling of great happiness.
2. A person or thing that brings happiness.
3. Success or a good result.

## Examples
- Her face was full of joy when she won.
- Her grandchildren are a real joy to her.
- I tried to fix the car but had no joy.

## Derived Forms
- enjoy
- enjoyment
- jollily
- jolliness
- jolly
- joy-bell
- joyance
- joyancy
- joyant
- joydom
- joyflight
- joyful

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: joye
- Root: joie
- Root: gaudia
- Root: gaudium
- Root: joyen
- Root: jöir

## 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).

## AI Etymology
Joy 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).

## Topics
- Emotions & Feelings

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joy