mirth

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Pronunciation

• (GA) IPA: /mɜɹθ/, [mɝθ]; enPR: mûrth
• (RP) IPA: /mɜːθ/

Noun

mirth (uncountable)

1. The emotion usually following humour and accompanied by laughter; merriment; jollity; gaiety.
   • 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island:

     And he began to laugh again, and that so heartily, that, though I did not see the joke as he did, I was again obliged to join him in his mirth.

   • 1912, Willa Cather, The Bohemian Girl:

     Their eyes met and they began to laugh. They laughed as children do when they cannot contain themselves, and can not explain the cause of their mirth to grown people, but share it perfectly together.

2. That which causes merriment.
   • 1922, James Joyce, ''Ulysses:

     Phantasmal mirth, folded away: muskperfumed.

Synonyms

• (emotion) delight, glee, hilarity, jollity

Antonyms

• (emotion) sadness, gloom

Translations

• French: gaieté
• German: Fröhlichkeit, Belustigung, Freude
• Italian: gioia, allegria
• Portuguese: alegria, júbilo
• Russian: ра́дость
• Spanish: felicidad, alegría, júbilo

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