mirth
[ murth ]
/ mɜrθ /
noun
gaiety or jollity, especially when accompanied by laughter: the excitement and mirth of the holiday season.
amusement or laughter: He was unable to conceal his mirth.
SYNONYMS FOR mirth
1, 2
Mirth,
glee,
hilarity,
merriment,
jollity,
joviality refer to the gaiety characterizing people who are enjoying the companionship of others.
Mirth suggests spontaneous amusement or gaiety, manifested briefly in laughter:
uncontrolled outbursts of mirth.
Glee suggests an effervescence of high spirits or exultation, often manifested in playful or ecstatic gestures; it may apply also to a malicious rejoicing over mishaps to others:
glee over the failure of a rival.
Hilarity implies noisy and boisterous mirth, often exceeding the limits of reason or propriety:
hilarity aroused by practical jokes.
Merriment suggests fun, good spirits, and good nature rather than the kind of wit and sometimes artificial funmaking that cause hilarity:
The house resounded with music and sounds of merriment.
Jollity and
joviality may refer either to a general atmosphere of mirthful festivity or to the corresponding traits of individuals.
Jollity implies an atmosphere of easy and convivial gaiety, a more hearty merriment or a less boisterous hilarity:
The holiday was a time of jollity.
Joviality implies a more mellow merriment generated by people who are hearty, generous, benevolent, and high-spirited:
the joviality of warm-hearted friends.
OTHER WORDS FROM mirth
mirth·less, adjectiveWords nearby mirth
Example sentences from the Web for mirth
British Dictionary definitions for mirth
mirth
/ (mɜːθ) /
noun
laughter, gaiety, or merriment
Derived forms of mirth
Word Origin for mirth
Old English
myrgth; compare
merry