Dictionary

jovial en · ADJ

Pronunciation

(General-American) audio
/ˈd͡ʒoʊ.vɪ.əl/ (General-American)
/ˈd͡ʒoʊ.vəl/ Appalachians, archaic
(Australia) audio
/ˈd͡ʒəʊ.vɪ.əl/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

First attested in 1590; borrowed from Middle French jovial (“under the influence of Jupiter; of Jove; jovial, jolly”), from Italian gioviale (“(now obsolete) born under the influence of the planet Jupiter”) (attested in Dante, Paradiso, canto XVIII, early 14th century), from Late Latin Ioviālis (“relating to the Roman god Jupiter”), from Iuppiter, Iovis (“the Roman god Jove or Jupiter, counterpart of the Greek god Zeus”) (from Proto-Indo-European *dyew- (“to be bright; heaven, sky”)) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship); analysable as Jove + -ial. Sense 1 (“cheerful and good-humoured”) refers to the fact that individuals born under the astrological influence of the planet Jupiter were believed to have that disposition.

Meanings

(comparable) Cheerful and good-humoured; jolly, merry.
- The moſt ſecure, happy, Ioviall & merry in the worlds eſteeme, are Princes & great men, free from melancholy, but for their cares, miſeries, ſuſpicions, Iealoſies, diſcontents, folly, & madneſſe, I referre you to Xenophons Tyrannus, where king Hieron diſcourſeth at large with Simonides the Poet, of this ſubject. 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Democritvs Ivnior to the Reader”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, page 57:
- At length, my friends, the feaſt of life is o’er; / I’ve eat ſufficient, I can drink no more: / My nigh is come; I’ve ſpent a jovial day; ’Tis time to part; but, oh!—what is to pay? 1797, Richard Graves, “On the Death of an Epicure”, in Select Epigrams. In Two Volumes, volume II, London: Printed by and for Sampson Low, […]; and sold by W. H. Lunn, […], →OCLC, page 31:
- She takes the whole thing with desperate seriousness. But the others are all easy and jovial—thinking about the good fare that is soon to be eaten, about the hired fly, about anything. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXXIV, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 267:
- But being ill-used by the above-mentioned widow, he was very serious for a year and a half; and though, his temper being naturally jovial, he at last got over it, he grew careless of himself, and never dressed afterwards. 1711 March 12 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “THURSDAY, March 2, 1710–1711”, in The Spectator, number 2; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 88:
- A long, jovial, inane laugh broke the sudden silence which had fallen over everyone. 1905 January 12, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “Lord Grenville’s Ball”, in The Scarlet Pimpernel, popular edition, London: Greening & Co., published 20 March 1912, →OCLC, page 115:
- [I]n polite ſocieties, he is the eaſy, well-bred man of faſhion; and, in the more convivial parties, he is the jovial companion. 1790 August, “Art V. The Devil upon Two Sticks in England: Being a Continuation of Le Diable Boiteux of Le Sage. 12mo. 4 Vols. about 230 Pages in each. 12s. Sewed. Walter, Piccadilly. 1790. [book review]”, in The Monthly Review; or, Literary Journal, Enlarged, volume II, London: Printed for R[alph] Griffiths; and sold by T[homas] Becket, […], →OCLC, page 392:
- Running to the window, he opened it, and put out his head. No fog, no mist; clear, bright, jovial, stirring, cold; cold, piping for the blood to dance to; Golden sunlight; Heavenly sky; sweet fresh air; merry bells. Oh, glorious. Glorious! 1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave Five. The End of It.”, in A Christmas Carol. […], London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, pages 154–155:
- A melancholy boddy is not the kindeſt nurſe for a chearely minde, (the joviall complexion is ſoverainly beholding to nature,) […] 1593, Gabriell Haruey [i.e., Gabriel Harvey], Pierces Supererogation: Or A New Prayse of the Old Asse. A Preparative to Certaine Larger Discourses, Intituled Nashes S. Fame, London: […] Iohn Wolfe, →OCLC; republished as John Payne Collier, editor, Pierces Supererogation: Or A New Prayse of the Old Asse. […] (Miscellaneous Tracts. Temp. Eliz. & Jac. I; no. 8), [London]: [s.n.], [1870], →OCLC, page 161:
- [A] jovial Santa Claus with an understanding heart and an attentive ear— […] 1951 December, Rock Island Lines News Digest, volume X, number 12, Chicago, Ill.: Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Company, →OCLC, page 1:
(not-comparable, obsolete) Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Jupiter; having the characteristics of a person under such influence (see sense 1).
- This Planet [Jupiter] being a Fortune, and Friend unto nature, inclineth the native, upon this direction, not only unto healthfulneſs, but alſo to be jovial and merry, affable and pleaſant, and to delight in the company of religious men: […] [T]his direction importeth good from jovial perſons, and is an excellent time to have dealings with, or to receive any courteſie from, or benefit by them, […] 1682, Joseph Blagrave, “[The Effects of Directions.] The Ascendant to the Body of Jupiter.”, in Obadiah Blagrave, editor, Blagrave’s Introduction to Astrology. In Three Parts. […], London: Printed by E. Tyler, and R. Holt, for Obadiah Blagrave, […], →OCLC, part III, page 226:
- As ☉ is near to a ⚹ of ♃, so did a jovial man endeavour to procure the purchase (after I began), but ♃ is cadent and in detriment, which shewed he should not prevail. 1852, William Lilly, Zadkiel [pseudonym; Richard James Morrison], “Of the Fourth House, and Judgments Depending thereon”, in An Introduction to Astrology […]: A Grammar of Astrology, and Tables for Calculating Nativities. […], London: H[enry] G[eorge] Bohn, […], →OCLC, page 145:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
most jovial	Degree=Sup		lexicographic
joviall		alternative	lexicographic
more jovial	Degree=Cmp		lexicographic

Translations (48)

tl hobyal (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · mr आनंदी (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · pdt froo (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · fi veikeä (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · pt jovial (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · nl joviaal (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · hu vidám (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · dsb wjasoły (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · ceb malipayon (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · ceb alegre (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · ca jovial (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · fr jovial (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · ka მხიარული (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · cs žoviální (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · uk товариський (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · de fröhlich (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · nl gemoedelijk (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · mk весел (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · sh žȍvijālan (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · ru жовиальный (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · hu joviális (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · as ৰাংঢালী (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · sh жо̏вија̄лан (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · pl wesoły (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · io joyema (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · as হাঁহিৰাম (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · pdt schaftich (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · de jovial (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · es jacarandoso (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · de heiter (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · ka გულღია (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · ru весёлый (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · es alegre (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · eo gajega (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · pl jowialny (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · pdt freelich (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · mi pukukata (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · uk веселий (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · ka სამხიარულო (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · tl masayahin (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · ta சௌல் (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · sv jovialisk (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · es jovial (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · eo joviala (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · fi lupsakka (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · as ৰঙিয়াল (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · sa रंसु (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry) · es risueño (cheerful and good-humoured — see also jolly, merry)

wikipedia: Dante

jovial en · ADJ

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Translations (48)