Standard Lemma guide

joyfulness

noun · 2 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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  • /ˈdʒɔɪfəlnəs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The state of being joyful.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: joy, joyousness, blitheness, blithesomeness, cheerfulness, cheeriness, contentness, contentedness, delight, delightedness, elatedness, elation, exuberance, exuberantness, felicity, gaiety, gayness, gayfulness, gladness, gladsomeness, glee, gleefulness, gleesomeness, happiness, high spirits, hilarity, jolliness, jollity, joviality, jovialness, joyfulness, liss, merriment, merriness, mirth, mirthfulness, pleasedness

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the emotion of great happiness

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: joy, joyousness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: emotion

Narrower terms: elation, high spirits, lightness, exultation, jubilance, jubilancy, jubilation, exhilaration, excitement, exuberance

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English joyful Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English joyfulness From joyful + -ness.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: iloisuus — state of being joyful
  • Manx: boggey — state of being joyful
  • Russian: радость (radostʹ) — state of being joyful
  • Russian: веселье (veselʹje) — state of being joyful