Definition joy
Etymology 1
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”). Displaced native Middle English wunne (from Old English wynn), Middle English hight, hught (“joy, hope”) (from Old English hyht), Middle English rot, root (“joy, delight”) (from Old English rōt), while partially replacing Middle English blisse (“joy, bliss”) (from Old English blisse, blīþs). Middle English gleo (“joy, glee”) (from Old English glēow, glīw (“glee”)) was at first displaced but later resurrected as English glee.
Noun
joy (countable and uncountable, plural joys)
- A feeling of extreme happiness or cheerfulness, especially related to the acquisition or expectation of something good.
- Anything that causes such a feeling.
- Luck or success; a positive outcome.
- (obsolete) The sign or exhibition of joy; gaiety; merriment; festivity.
Etymology 2
From Middle English joyen, joȝen, joien, from Old French jöir, from the noun (see above).
Verb
joy (third-person singular simple present joys, present participle joying, simple past and past participle joyed)
- (intransitive) To feel joy, to rejoice.
- (transitive, archaic) To enjoy.
- (transitive, obsolete) To give joy to; to congratulate.
- (transitive, obsolete) To gladden; to make joyful; to exhilarate.