gaiety

noun

gai·​ety ˈgā-ə-tē How to pronounce gaiety (audio)
variants or less commonly gayety
plural gaieties
1
: merrymaking
also : festive activity
often used in plural
2
: high spirits : merriment
3

Examples of gaiety in a Sentence

The party had none of the gaiety we've seen in past years. the gaiety of the carnival
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His formidable rich voice voice always carried the gaiety of a comic opera basso. John Mariani, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024 Françoise wanders away from us, from the room, into her own thoughts, solemn yet full of gaiety. Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 27 June 2024 But in the end, what makes this painting so intriguing is the tension between the gaiety of the flowers and the woman’s expression. Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 In fact, if you're surrounded by gaiety and merriment but not having the best of times yourself, all that festivity can make your own solitude even more miserable. Gwen Ihnat, EW.com, 6 Nov. 2023 See all Example Sentences for gaiety 

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "cheerfulness," borrowed from Middle French gayeté, going back to Old French, from gai gay entry 1 + -eté -ity

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gaiety was in 1634

Dictionary Entries Near gaiety

Cite this Entry

“Gaiety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaiety. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

gaiety

noun
gai·​ety
variants also gayety
ˈgā-ət-ē
plural gaieties
1
2
: high spirits

More from Merriam-Webster on gaiety

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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