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Today it means

joy

a feeling of great pleasure

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Where does the word "joy" come from? It comes from Latin gaudium, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "joy" come from? It comes from Latin gaudium, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Joy’s story begins in Latin: gaudium meant “joy, delight.” From 'gaudere', to rejoice. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as joie. The same root as 'enjoy' and 'jewel'. It reached English by 1200s as joy. 'joyride' dates from the 1900s. Today, joy means a feeling of great pleasure.

  1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient gaudium "joy, delight", from 'gaudere', to rejoice.
  2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval joie "joy", the same root as 'enjoy' and 'jewel'.
  3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s joy "gladness", 'joyride' dates from the 1900s.

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