gaiety

noun

gai·​ety ˈgā-ə-tē 

variants or less commonly gayety

plural gaieties

1

: merrymaking

also : festive activity

—often used in plural

2

: high spirits : merriment

3

: elegance, finery

Synonyms

• array
• best
• bravery
• caparison
• feather
• finery
• frippery
• full dress
• glad rags
• regalia

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

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

The energy and gaiety of Boston’s annual LGBTQ+ Pride parade returned to Back Bay and South End streets Saturday, as marchers clad in rainbow tutus, mesh crop tops, and myriad styles and colors of body glitter sashayed through the city for the first time since 2019. —Jeremy C. Fox, BostonGlobe.com, 10 June 2023

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

Kids Definition

gaiety

noun

gai·​ety

variants also gayety

ˈgā-ət-ē

plural gaieties

1

: merrymaking sense 1

2

: high spirits