JOVIALLY

jovially

(adverb) in a jovial manner; “he greeted his friend jovially”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adverb

jovially (comparative more jovially, superlative most jovially)

In a jovial manner.

Source: Wiktionary


Jo"vi*al*ly, adv.

Definition: In a jovial manner; merrily; gayly. B. Jonson.

JOVIAL

Jo"vi*al, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. Jovialis pertaining to Jove. The planet Jupiter was thought to make those born under it joyful or jovial. See Jove.]

1. Of or pertaining to the god, or the planet, Jupiter. [Obs.] Our jovial star reigned at his birth. Shak. The fixed stars astrologically differenced by the planets, and esteemed Martial or Jovial according to the colors whereby they answer these planets. Sir T. Browne.

2. Sunny; serene. [Obs.] "The heavens always joviall." Spenser.

3. Gay; merry; joyous; jolly; mirth-inspiring; hilarious; characterized by mirth or jollity; as, a jovial youth; a jovial company; a jovial poem. Be bright and jovial among your guests. Shak. His odes are some of them panegyrical, others moral; the rest are jovial or bacchanalian. Dryden.

Note: This word is a relic of the belief in planetary influence. Other examples are saturnine, mercurial, martial, lunatic, etc.

Syn.

– Merry; joyous; gay; festive; mirthful; gleeful; jolly; hilarious.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

22 February 2025

ANALYSIS

(noun) the use of closed-class words instead of inflections: e.g., ‘the father of the bride’ instead of ‘the bride’s father’


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Coffee Trivia

The word “coffee” entered the English language in 1582 via the Dutch “koffie,” borrowed from the Ottoman Turkish “kahve,” borrowed in turn from the Arabic “qahwah.” The Arabic word qahwah was traditionally held to refer to a type of wine.

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