Standard Lemma guide

epicaricacy

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˌɛpɪˈkæɹɪkəsi/
  • Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Rejoicing at or deriving pleasure from the misfortunes of others.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: rare, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: schadenfreude

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἐπιχαιρεκακία (epikhairekakía, “joy upon evil”). The word appears in most of the editions of Nathaniel Bailey's dictionary and many dictionaries that came after. Linguist Joseph T. Shipley included it in his Dictionary of Early English (1963), citing Bailey. Evidence of actual usage seems scant until it was picked up by various "interesting word" websites around the turn of the twenty-first century.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Latin: epichaerecacia — rejoicing at or deriving pleasure from the misfortunes of others
  • Spanish: epicaricacía — rejoicing at or deriving pleasure from the misfortunes of others