jocund

adjective

jo·​cund ˈjä-kənd 

 also  ˈjō-(ˌ)kənd

: marked by or suggestive of high spirits and lively mirthfulness

a poet could not but be gay, in such a jocund company

—William Wordsworth

jocundity

jō-ˈkən-də-tē 

jä-

noun

jocundly

ˈjä-kənd-lē 

ˈjō-(ˌ)kənd-

adverb

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The Tricky Etymology of Jocund

Don't let the etymology of jocund play tricks on you. The word comes from jucundus, a Latin word meaning "agreeable" or "delightful," and ultimately from the Latin verb juvare, meaning "to help." But jucundus looks and sounds a bit like jocus, the Latin word for "joke." These two roots took a lively romp through many centuries together and along the way the lighthearted jocus influenced the spelling and meaning of jucundus, an interaction that eventually resulted in our modern English word jocund in the 14th century.

Synonyms

• blithe
• blithesome
• festive
• gay
• gleeful
• jocose
• jocular
• jolly
• jovial
• laughing
• merry
• mirthful
• sunny

Choose the Right Synonym for jocund

merry, blithe, jocund, jovial, jolly mean showing high spirits or lightheartedness.

merry suggests cheerful, joyous, uninhibited enjoyment of frolic or festivity.

a merry group of revelers

blithe suggests carefree, innocent, or even heedless gaiety.

arrived late in his usual blithe way

jocund stresses elation and exhilaration of spirits.

singing, dancing, and jocund feasting

jovial suggests the stimulation of conviviality and good fellowship.

dinner put them in a jovial mood

jolly suggests high spirits expressed in laughing, bantering, and jesting.

our jolly host enlivened the party

Examples of jocund in a Sentence

old friends engaged in jocund teasing

Recent Examples on the Web

Political Mooovment forces an examination of how consuming dairy and meat harms our planet and potentially our bodies, underscored by a jocund tone. —Natasha Gural, Forbes, 29 May 2021

There’s a feeling of joy that comes with walking into Jovanina’s Broken Italian, a jocund eight-month-old eatery that’s part of LoDo’s recent restaurant renaissance. —Daliah Singer, The Know, 6 Aug. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin jocundus, alteration of Latin jucundus, from juvare to help

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

jocund

adjective

jo·​cund ˈjäk-ənd 

 also  ˈjōk-(ˌ)ənd

: merry, jolly

jocundly adverb