n.
- a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.
▸a cause of joy.
-
[usu. with neg.]
Brit. informal success or satisfaction:
you'll get no joy out of her.
v.
literary rejoice.
Phrase
- be full of the joys of spring
be lively and cheerful.
Derivative
- joyless adj.
- joylessly adv.
Etymology
ME: from OFr. joie, based on L. gaudium, from gaudere ‘rejoice’.