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).
Meanings
(dated, often, sarcastic) Expressing appreciation and happiness.
'Joy! joy!' he cried, throwing his arms towards Heaven, 'on a grave be the site of our Temple; and now our happiness is for Eternity!' 1842, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Lily’s Quest”, in Twice-Told Tales, volume II, Boston, Mass.: James Munroe and Company, →OCLC, page 306:
Hanrahan closed his mouth, tried unsuccessfully to breathe through his nose, then opened his mouth again. "Oh, joy," he muttered. "This kid doesn't even go to the bathroom, I bet. Probably been taught not to. It isn't nice." 1983, Gregory Mcdonald, Fletch and the Man Who, New York, N.Y.: Warner Books, →ISBN, page 56:
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).
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) 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 was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
It is his joy to walk in the rain.
[…]purſued his vnneighbourly purpoſe in ſuch ſort: that hee being the ſtronger perſwader, and ſhe (belike) too credulous in beleeuing or elſe ouer-feeble in reſiſting, from priuate imparlance, they fell to action; and continued their cloſe fight a long while together, vnſeene and vvithout ſuſpition, no doubt to their equall ioy and contentment. 1620, Giovanni Bocaccio, translated by John Florio, The Decameron, Containing an Hundred Pleaſant Nouels: Wittily Diſcourſed, Betweene Seuen Honourable Ladies, and Three Noble Gentlemen, Isaac Iaggard, Nouell 8, The Eighth Day:
(countable, uncountable) Anything that causes such a feeling.
A thing of beauty is a joy forever. 1818, John Keats, “Book I”, in Endymion: A Poetic Romance, London: […] T[homas] Miller, […] for Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC, page 1:
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:
(countable, uncountable) 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:
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) The sign or exhibition of joy; gaiety; merriment; festivity.
Such ioy made Vna, when her knight she found; 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 32:
The roofs with joy resound. 1717, John Dryden [et al.], “(please specify |book=I to XV)”, in Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Fifteen Books. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
uga 𐎌𐎎𐎃𐎚 (feeling of happiness) · es júbilo (feeling of happiness) · ur آنند (feeling of happiness) · km តុស្តី (feeling of happiness) · kk шаттық (feeling of happiness) · ltg prīca (feeling of happiness) · ps آغې (feeling of happiness) · nn frygd (feeling of happiness) · th ดุษฎี (feeling of happiness) · atv кубук (feeling of happiness) · om gammachuu (feeling of happiness) · lo ຄວາມສຸກ (feeling of happiness) · yue 喜悅 /喜悦 (feeling of happiness) · tr keyif (feeling of happiness) · atv сӱгӱнӱш (feeling of happiness) · id keceriaan (feeling of happiness) · izh ilo (feeling of happiness) · de Freude (feeling of happiness) · txb katkauña (feeling of happiness) · wyi burd-up (feeling of happiness) · es gozo (feeling of happiness) · yi פֿרייד (feeling of happiness) · id kebahagiaan (feeling of happiness) · ja 喜び (feeling of happiness) · ro bucurie (feeling of happiness) · ko 즐거움 (feeling of happiness) · ms kegembiraan (feeling of happiness) · tr neşe (feeling of happiness) · es felicidad (feeling of happiness) · qu q'uchu (feeling of happiness) · sv lycka (feeling of happiness) · sa प्रमोद (feeling of happiness) · am ደስታ (feeling of happiness) · fa کروز (feeling of happiness) · it felicità (feeling of happiness) · fa خرسندی (feeling of happiness) · haw ʻoliʻoli (feeling of happiness) · ky шаттык (feeling of happiness) · ta மகிழ்ச்சி (feeling of happiness) · ko 기쁨 (feeling of happiness) · gd aighear (feeling of happiness) · ky кубаныч (feeling of happiness) · fo gleði (feeling of happiness) · km បីតិ (feeling of happiness) · fa سرور (feeling of happiness) · az şadlıq (feeling of happiness) · ka სიხარული (feeling of happiness) · txb plānto (feeling of happiness) · bn আনন্দ (feeling of happiness) · yue 歡樂 /欢乐 (feeling of happiness) · es alegría (feeling of happiness) · tk begenç (feeling of happiness) · lv prieks (feeling of happiness) · pl uciecha (feeling of happiness) · sa रण (feeling of happiness) · hi प्रसन्नता (feeling of happiness) · nv ił hózhǫ́ (feeling of happiness) · hy հրճվանք (feeling of happiness) · got 𐍆𐌰𐌷𐌴𐌸𐍃 (feeling of happiness) · ca joia (feeling of happiness) · mk радост (feeling of happiness) · bua баяр (feeling of happiness) · sa सुख (feeling of happiness) · la laetitia (feeling of happiness) · ps خوښي (feeling of happiness) · tr şetaret (feeling of happiness) · fi onni (feeling of happiness) · fa شادی (feeling of happiness) · hi आनंद (feeling of happiness) · my သောမနဿ (feeling of happiness) · cop ⲣⲁϣⲓ (feeling of happiness) · sh весеље (feeling of happiness) · gd sogan (feeling of happiness) · be ра́дасць (feeling of happiness) · cmn 喜悅 /喜悦 (feeling of happiness) · da fryd (feeling of happiness) · da gammen (feeling of happiness) · km បាមោជ្ជ (feeling of happiness) · nn glede (feeling of happiness) · et rõõm (feeling of happiness) · ang ġefēa (feeling of happiness) · bg ра́дост (feeling of happiness) · cy llawenydd (feeling of happiness) · tk şatlyk (feeling of happiness) · la gaudimonium (feeling of happiness) · bcl pagkaugma (feeling of happiness) · la gaudium (feeling of happiness) · lo ຜາສຸກ (feeling of happiness) · hi हर्ष (feeling of happiness) · el χαρά (feeling of happiness) · tr haz (feeling of happiness) · ps سرور (feeling of happiness) · quc ki'kotemal (feeling of happiness) · th สุข (feeling of happiness) · ppl pākilis (feeling of happiness) · fi ilo (feeling of happiness) · cmn 歡樂 /欢乐 (feeling of happiness) · az sevinc (feeling of happiness) · sh veselje (feeling of happiness) · clt palungtluona (feeling of happiness) · vec ałegrézsa (feeling of happiness) · io joyo (feeling of happiness) · zu injabulo (feeling of happiness) · hi आह्लाद (feeling of happiness) · ltg ļuste (feeling of happiness) · lo ປີຕິ (feeling of happiness) · tl galak (feeling of happiness) · gd àigh (feeling of happiness) · mi hurō (feeling of happiness) · gl ledicia (feeling of happiness) · ltg prīceiba (feeling of happiness) · pl radość (feeling of happiness) · tr sevinç (feeling of happiness) · uk ра́дість (feeling of happiness) · tr zevk (feeling of happiness) · alt сӱӱнчи (feeling of happiness) · it allegria (feeling of happiness) · mnc ᠰᡝᠪᠵᡝᠨ (feeling of happiness) · mi mākoakoa (feeling of happiness) · mn баяр (feeling of happiness) · ro veselie (feeling of happiness) · ckb خۆشی (feeling of happiness) · eo ĝojo (feeling of happiness) · gd gàirdeachas (feeling of happiness) · kmr xoşî (feeling of happiness) · ky суйүнүч (feeling of happiness) · wuu 快樂 /快乐 (feeling of happiness) · sk radosť (feeling of happiness) · tg шодӣ (feeling of happiness) · nan-hbl 歡喜 /欢喜 (feeling of happiness) · lt džiaugsmas (feeling of happiness) · hy ուրախություն (feeling of happiness) · no glede (feeling of happiness) · cmn 歡喜 /欢喜 (feeling of happiness) · hil kalipay (feeling of happiness) · ta இன்பம் (feeling of happiness) · dsb wjasele (feeling of happiness) · tg хурсандӣ (feeling of happiness) · km ប្រមោទ (feeling of happiness) · gil kukurei (feeling of happiness) · fr joie (feeling of happiness) · ps خشالي (feeling of happiness) · az fərəh (feeling of happiness) · it piacere (feeling of happiness) · th กำหนัด (feeling of happiness) · cs radost (feeling of happiness) · oc jòia (feeling of happiness) · ro jovialitate (feeling of happiness) · es regocijo (feeling of happiness) · mt ferħ (feeling of happiness) · uz shodlik (feeling of happiness) · sh радост (feeling of happiness) · he שִׂמְחָה (feeling of happiness) · cak kikotemal (feeling of happiness) · id kegembiraan (feeling of happiness) · lad alegriya (feeling of happiness) · ga áthas (feeling of happiness) · sh sreća (feeling of happiness) · ca alegria (feeling of happiness) · ro voioșie (feeling of happiness) · uz xursandlik (feeling of happiness) · gv boggey (feeling of happiness) · hi सुख (feeling of happiness) · kl pilluarneq (feeling of happiness) · sh срећа (feeling of happiness) · kri jɔy (feeling of happiness) · ceb kalipay (feeling of happiness) · hu öröm (feeling of happiness) · oc alegria (feeling of happiness) · da glæde (feeling of happiness) · pdt Freid (feeling of happiness) · ka სიამოვნება (feeling of happiness) · cu радость (feeling of happiness) · nl vreugde (feeling of happiness) · my ပီတိ (feeling of happiness) · kpv гаж (feeling of happiness) · nci pāquiliztli (feeling of happiness) · nn fryd (feeling of happiness) · ga lúcháir (feeling of happiness) · tr mutluluk (feeling of happiness) · bho हर्ष (feeling of happiness) · cmn 喜樂 /喜乐 (feeling of happiness) · da lykke (feeling of happiness) · sh radost (feeling of happiness) · ru весе́лье (feeling of happiness) · sl radost (feeling of happiness) · wuu 高興 /高兴 (feeling of happiness) · no fryd (feeling of happiness) · hi ख़ुशी (feeling of happiness) · ro fericire (feeling of happiness) · ur خوشی (feeling of happiness) · ar فَرَح (feeling of happiness) · fi riemu (feeling of happiness) · egy r:S-r:S-fnD (feeling of happiness) · is gleði (feeling of happiness) · so farax (feeling of happiness) · pi pīti (feeling of happiness) · grc χαρά (feeling of happiness) · ug خۇشاللىق (feeling of happiness) · vec ałegrìa (feeling of happiness) · it gioia (feeling of happiness) · fa خوشی (feeling of happiness) · sv glädje (feeling of happiness) · egy r:S-fnD-A2 (feeling of happiness) · nan-hbl 喜樂 /喜乐 (feeling of happiness) · ar سُرُور (feeling of happiness) · sa हर्ष (feeling of happiness) · tl saya (feeling of happiness) · ka მხიარულება (feeling of happiness) · pdt Häaj (feeling of happiness) · yue 歡喜 /欢喜 (feeling of happiness) · sa नान्दी (feeling of happiness) · ru ра́дость (feeling of happiness) · te సంతోషం (feeling of happiness) · yue 喜樂 /喜乐 (feeling of happiness) · id kesenangan (feeling of happiness) · sq gaz (feeling of happiness) · th ปิติ (feeling of happiness) · sw furaha (feeling of happiness) · bni ncai (feeling of happiness) · pt alegria (feeling of happiness)
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).
Meanings
(intransitive) To feel joy, to rejoice.
for oftymes or this oure lord shewed hym vnto good men and vnto good knyghtes in lykenes of an herte But I suppose from hens forth ye shalle see no more / and thenne they Ioyed moche / and dwelled ther alle that day / And vpon the morowe whan they had herde masse / they departed and commaunded the good man to god 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter IX, in Le Morte Darthur, book XVII:
1885, Richard Francis Burton (translator), The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 18, “Tale of the Portress,” p. 178,
I swore readily enough to this and he joyed with exceeding joy and embraced me round the neck while love for him possessed my whole heart.
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:
(archaic, transitive) To enjoy.
I haue my wish, in that I ioy thy sight, 1594, Christopher Marlow[e], The Troublesome Raigne and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England: […], London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press] for Henry Bell, […], published 1622, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
Is this the Love, is this the recompence
Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve, exprest
Immutable when thou wert lost, not I,
Who might have liv’d and joyd immortal bliss,
Yet willingly chose rather Death with thee: 1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC, lines 1164-1168:
For from the time that Scudamour her bought,
In perilous fight, she neuer ioyed day […]. 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, page 5:
(obsolete, transitive) To give joy to; to congratulate.
Evil like Us they shun, and covet Good;
Abhor the Poison, and receive the Food.
Like Us they love or hate: like Us they know,
To joy the Friend, or grapple with the Foe. 1709, Mat[thew] Prior, “(please specify the chapter or poem)”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC, page 405:
Then round our Death-bed ev'ry Friend ſhou'd run, / And joy us of our Conqueſt, early won: […] 1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, book III, page 88:
(obsolete, transitive) To gladden; to make joyful; to exhilarate.
Yet neither pleasure’s art can joy my spirits,
Nor yet the other’s distance comfort me. c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and Thomas Creede] for Henry Gosson, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]: