Joy
/dʒɔɪ/
Definitions
2 meaningsA feeling of great pleasure and happiness.
/dʒɔɪ/
She felt a surge of joy when she saw her friends.
💡 Simply: Imagine you just got a surprise present that you *really* wanted! That happy feeling inside? That's joy!
👶 For kids: Joy is like when you're super happy and excited, like when you get a new toy or when you're playing your favorite game!
More Examples
The children’s laughter filled the room with joy.
He expressed his joy at the news of their success.
How It's Used
"The birth of a child often brings immense joy to a family."
"The poet wrote of joy and sorrow, the dualities of life."
To feel or express great pleasure or delight.
/dʒɔɪ/
The town joyed at the news of the returning soldiers.
💡 Simply: To 'joy' means to really feel happy about something, like when you 'joy' that you finished your homework!
👶 For kids: When you joy, it means you're super, super happy, like when you're so happy you could jump up and down!
More Examples
She joyed in the success of her students.
The audience joyed in the performance.
How It's Used
"The town joyed in the king's victory after a long battle."
Idioms & expressions
to jump for joy
To be extremely happy or excited.
"When she got the job offer, she was jumping for joy."
a joy to behold
Something that is a great pleasure to look at or experience.
"The garden was a joy to behold, filled with colorful flowers."
From Old French *joie*, from Latin *gaudia* (plural of *gaudium* 'joy, delight').
In older texts, 'joy' was sometimes used to describe religious or spiritual happiness. This usage is still found in some religious contexts today.
Memory tip
Think of the feeling you get when you win a game – pure JOY!
Word Origin
"delight, happiness"