Standard Lemma guide

merriment

noun · 4 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: /ˈmɛɹimɪnt/
  • US: /ˈmɛɹimənt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A state of enjoyable exuberance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: merriness, mirth, ardor, alacrity, celerity, energy, enthusiasm, exuberance, exuberantness, fanaticism, fervor, gusto, purpose, verve, vigor, vim, zeal, zealousness, blitheness, blithesomeness, cheerfulness, cheeriness, contentness, contentedness, delight, delightedness, elatedness, elation, felicity, gaiety, gayness, gayfulness, gladness, gladsomeness, glee, gleefulness, gleesomeness, happiness, high spirits, hilarity, jolliness, jollity, joviality, jovialness, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, liss, merriment, mirthfulness, pleasedness

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Playful fun.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

activities that are enjoyable or amusing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I do it for the fun of it
  • he is fun to have around

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fun, playfulness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: diversion, recreation

4

noun

Meaning 4

a gay feeling

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gaiety

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: happiness

Narrower terms: hilarity, mirth, mirthfulness, glee, gleefulness, jocundity, jocularity, jollity, jolliness, joviality

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English merry Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥tom Proto-Italic *-mentom Latin -mentum Old French -mentbor. Middle English -ment English -ment English merriment From merry + -ment.

Across languages

Translations

33 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: веселие (veselie) — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • French: gaieté — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • German: Überschwang — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • German: Freude — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Ancient Greek: εὐφροσύνη (euphrosúnē) — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Hindi: विनोद (vinod) — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Italian: burla — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Latin: hilaritas — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Māori: manamanahau — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Polish: radość — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Romanian: veselie — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Russian: весе́лье (vesélʹje) — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Scottish Gaelic: mire — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Serbo-Croatian: весеље (veselje) — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Spanish: alegría — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Spanish: júbilo — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Spanish: regocijo — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Ottoman Turkish: كیف (keyf) — state of enjoyable exuberance
  • Bengali: ফুর্তি (phurti) — playful fun
  • Bengali: আমোদ (amōd) — playful fun
  • Bengali: মজা (moja) — playful fun
  • Bulgarian: веселба (veselba) — playful fun
  • Danish: morskab — playful fun
  • Dutch: jolijt — playful fun
  • German: Spaß — playful fun
  • Central Kurdish: ھەوەس (hewes) — playful fun
  • Central Kurdish: کەیف (keyf) — playful fun
  • Macedonian: ве́селба (véselba) — playful fun
  • Polish: zabawa — playful fun
  • Polish: ubaw — playful fun
  • Russian: развлече́ние (razvlečénije) — playful fun
  • Russian: заба́ва (zabáva) — playful fun
  • Spanish: juguetoneo — playful fun