A ActivateWords

Dictionary / joy

joy

/d͡ʒɔɪ/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)/d͡ʒoj/ (British, Southern, Standard)/d͡ʒoɪ/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
  • noun
  • interjection
  • verb
  • from Old French

A feeling of extreme happiness or cheerfulness, especially related to the acquisition or expectation of something good.

▶ Play the mastery game

1 All current definitions

Every sense of “joy” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.

noun

  1. countableuncountableA feeling of extreme happiness or cheerfulness, especially related to the acquisition or expectation of something good.

    a child's joy on Christmas morning

  2. countableuncountableAnything that causes such a feeling.

    the joys and demands of parenthood

  3. countableuncountableLuck or success; a positive outcome.

    Grant had no joy with taking a nap, so he began to systematically feel if everything was working: fingers and toes, etc.2012, Colin Owen, Colin's Shorts, volume 2, page 65:

Older & obsolete senses (1)
  1. countableobsoleteuncountableThe sign or exhibition of joy; gaiety; merriment; festivity.
Wiktionary: “joy” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

interjection

No current senses for this part of speech — see older senses.

Older & obsolete senses (1)
  1. datedoftensarcasticExpressing appreciation and happiness.
Wiktionary: “joy” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

verb

  1. intransitiveTo feel joy, to rejoice.

    I joy to see you wear around your neck the holy relic I bestowed on you;—but what Moorish charmlet is that you wear beside it?1829, Walter Scott, chapter 8, in Anne of Geierstein, volume 3, Edinburgh: Cadell, page 222:

Older & obsolete senses (3)
  1. archaictransitiveTo enjoy.
  2. obsoletetransitiveTo give joy to; to congratulate.
  3. obsoletetransitiveTo gladden; to make joyful; to exhilarate.
Wiktionary: “joy” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Cross-check: WordNet senses (4)
  1. nounthe emotion of great happiness — also: joyousness, joyfulness
  2. nounsomething or someone that provides a source of happiness — also: delight, pleasure
  3. verbfeel happiness or joy — also: rejoice
  4. verbmake glad or happy — also: gladden
Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License

2 History of the word

The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)joy
  2. Middle Englishjoye
  3. Old Frenchjoie
  4. Late Latingaudia
  5. Late Latingaudēre “to be glad, rejoice”

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).

Wiktionary: “joy” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Derivatives — words built from “joy”

enjoyenjoymentjollilyjollinessjollyjoyancejoyancyjoyantjoy-belljoydomjoyflightjoyfuljoyfullyjoyfulnessjoygasmjoyhoodjoyhopjoyishjoylessjoylesslyjoylessnessjoylikejoymentjoynessjoyousjoyouslyjoyousnessjoypadjoypopjoyridejoysomejoysomenessjoystickkilljoykill-joynon-joyousoverjoyrejoicerejoicementrejoy

Phrases & compounds

bundle of joyCity of Joycocky's joycomparison is the thief of joydaughter of joyjoy belljoy buzzerjoy carjoy divisionjoy girljoy housejoy juicejoy killerjoy powderjoy ridejoy-to-stuff ratiojoy toyjoy wheeljump for joyleap for joy
Wiktionary: “joy” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Want to go deeper? See also “joy” on Etymonline ↗

3 Original language

Where “joy” came from before it was English.

Came into English from
Old French
Old French joie
Oldest written form
Late Latin
Late Latin gaudēre “to be glad, rejoice”
Wiktionary: “joy” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

4 Original meaning

What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.

Late Latin
“to be glad, rejoice”
Late Latin gaudēre
Wiktionary: “joy” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913

A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.

joy n. [OE. joye, OF. joye, joie, goie, F. joie, L. gaudia, pl. of gaudium joy, fr. gaudere to rejoice, to be glad; cf. Gr. gai`ein to rejoice, gay^ros proud. Cf. Gaud, Jewel.]

  1. The passion or emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good; pleasurable feelings or emotions caused by success, good fortune, and the like, or by a rational prospect of possessing what we love or desire; gladness; exhilaration of spirits; delight.
  2. That which causes joy or happiness.
  3. The sign or exhibition of joy; gayety; mirth; merriment; festivity.

joy v. i. [OF. joir, F. jouir. See Joy, n.]

  1. To rejoice; to be glad; to delight; to exult.

joy v. t.

  1. To give joy to; to congratulate.
  2. To gladden; to make joyful; to exhilarate.
  3. To enjoy.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), public domain, via GCIDE

5 Use it with confidence

Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.

nounMeaning: A feeling of extreme happiness or cheerfulness, especially related to the acquisition or expectation of something good.

a child's joy on Christmas morning

It is his joy to walk in the rain.

nounMeaning: Anything that causes such a feeling.

the joys and demands of parenthood

For, ye are our glory and ioy.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Thessalonians 2:20:

nounMeaning: Luck or success; a positive outcome.

Grant had no joy with taking a nap, so he began to systematically feel if everything was working: fingers and toes, etc.2012, Colin Owen, Colin's Shorts, volume 2, page 65:

'Rob? It's Gary. Are you having any joy with this trip to Bali?' 'No joy at all, mate. I reckon Bali's out for the foreseeable future. […]2012, Robert Stansbridge, Bia's Wedding, page 4:

verbMeaning: To feel joy, to rejoice.

I joy to see you wear around your neck the holy relic I bestowed on you;—but what Moorish charmlet is that you wear beside it?1829, Walter Scott, chapter 8, in Anne of Geierstein, volume 3, Edinburgh: Cadell, page 222:

nounMeaning: something or someone that provides a source of happiness

a joy to behold

Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License
Wiktionary: “joy” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Three steps to owning it

  1. Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
  2. Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
  3. Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?

6 The mastery game

Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.

Step 1 of 9

Say it, then spell it

joy

/d͡ʒɔɪ/

Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.

Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________

joy

/d͡ʒɔɪ/ · noun, interjection, verb

Step 1 — Say it and write it

Say “joy” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.

Step 2 — Know every meaning

Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.

1. (noun) A feeling of extreme happiness or cheerfulness, especially related to the acquisition or expectation of something good.
2. (noun) Anything that causes such a feeling.
3. (noun) Luck or success; a positive outcome.
4. (verb) To feel joy, to rejoice.

Step 3 — Which meaning is it?

“a child's joy on Christmas morning”

A. A feeling of extreme happiness or cheerfulness, especially related to the acquisition or expectation of something good.
B. Luck or success; a positive outcome.
C. To feel joy, to rejoice.

Circle the meaning used.

“the joys and demands of parenthood”

A. Anything that causes such a feeling.
B. To feel joy, to rejoice.
C. A feeling of extreme happiness or cheerfulness, especially related to the acquisition or expectation of something good.

Circle the meaning used.

Step 4 — History and origin

Which language did “joy” come into English from?   A. Middle French  B. Middle Dutch  C. Late Latin  D. Old French

Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):

Write three words built from “joy” and what each means:

Step 5 — Original meaning

The earliest traceable form is Late Latin gaudēre. What did it mean?

How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?

Step 6 — Use it yourself

Write a sentence using “joy” to mean: A feeling of extreme happiness or cheerfulness, especially related to the acquisition or expectation of something good.
Write a sentence using “joy” to mean: Anything that causes such a feeling.
Write a sentence using “joy” to mean: Luck or success; a positive outcome.

☐ I can explain its meanings   ☐ I know its history   ☐ I know its original language   ☐ I know its original meaning   ☐ I can use it confidently

Answer key — joy

Which meaning, sentence 1: A. A feeling of extreme happiness or cheerfulness, especially related to the acquisition or expectation of something good.

Which meaning, sentence 2: A. Anything that causes such a feeling.

Origin: D. Old French (Old French joie)

Journey: English joy ← Middle English joye ← Old French joie ← Late Latin gaudia ← Late Latin gaudēre

Some derivatives: enjoy, enjoyment, jollily, jolliness, jolly, joyance, joyancy, joyant

Original meaning: Late Latin gaudēre — “to be glad, 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.

Sources: Wiktionary “joy” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/joy#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/joy