different between happiness vs joy

English

Etymology

From happy +? -ness.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?hæpin?s/, /?hæpin?s/
• Hyphenation: hap?pi?ness

Noun

happiness (countable and uncountable, plural happinesses)

2. (uncountable) The emotion of being happy; joy.
   • 1877, W. S. Gilbert, The Sorcerer

     Yes, Aline, true happiness comes of true love, and true love should be independent of external influences.

3. (archaic, uncountable) prosperity, thriving, wellbeing.
   • 1776, United States Declaration of Independence

     We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

4. (archaic, uncountable) Good luck; good fortune.
   • 1643, — William Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, I-i

     All happiness bechance to thee in Milan!

5. (obsolete, countable) Fortuitous elegance; unstudied grace; — used especially of language.

   Some beauties yet no precepts can declare, For there's a happiness, as well as care. — Alexander Pope.

Usage notes

Happiness is generic, and is applied to almost every kind of enjoyment.

Synonyms

• felicity (somewhat dated or formal)
• blessedness (dated or religious)
• bliss (more exalted delight, suggesting heaven)
• high spirits
• joy, joyfulness, joyousness
• pleasure

Antonyms

• unhappiness
• haplessness
• suffering

Translations

References

• happiness in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Further reading

• Happiness (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• happiness on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American, Canada) enPR: joi, IPA^(key): /d???/
• Rhymes: -??

Etymology 1

From Middle English joye, borrowed from Old French joie, from Late Latin gaudia, neuter plural (mistaken as feminine singular) of Latin gaudium (“joy”), from gaud?re (“to be glad, rejoice”). Doublet of jo. Displaced native Middle English wunne (from Old English wynn), Middle English hight, hught (“joy, hope”) (from Old English hyht), Middle English rot, root (“joy, delight”) (from Old English r?t), while partially replacing Middle English blisse (“joy, bliss”) (from Old English blisse, bl?þs). Middle English gleo (“joy, glee”) (from Old English gl?ow, gl?w (“glee”)) was at first displaced but later resurrected as English glee.

Noun

joy (countable and uncountable, plural joys)

1. A feeling of extreme happiness or cheerfulness, especially related to the acquisition or expectation of something good.

2. Anything that causes such a feeling.
   • A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

3. Luck or success; a positive outcome.
   • 2012, Colin Owen, Colin's Shorts (volume 2, page 65)

     Grant had no joy with taking a nap, so he began to systematically feel if everything was working: fingers and toes, etc.

   • 2012, Robert Stansbridge, Bia's Wedding (page 4)

     'Rob? It's Gary. Are you having any joy with this trip to Bali?' 'No joy at all, mate. I reckon Bali's out for the foreseeable future. […]

4. (obsolete) The sign or exhibition of joy; gaiety; merriment; festivity.

Antonyms

• (feeling of happiness): infelicity, joylessness, unhappiness, unjoy

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English joyen, jo?en, joien, from Old French jöir, from the noun (see above).

Verb

joy (third-person singular simple present joys, present participle joying, simple past and past participle joyed)

1. (intransitive) To feel joy, to rejoice.
   • 1829, Walter Scott, Anne of Geierstein, Edinburgh: Cadell, Volume 3, Chapter 8, p. 222,^[2]

     I joy to see you wear around your neck the holy relic I bestowed on you;—but what Moorish charmlet is that you wear beside it?

   • 1885, Richard Francis Burton (translator), The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 18, “Tale of the Portress,” p. 178,^[3]

     I swore readily enough to this and he joyed with exceeding joy and embraced me round the neck while love for him possessed my whole heart.

2. (transitive, archaic) To enjoy.
   • 1594, Christopher Marlowe, Edward II, London: William Jones,^[4]

     I haue my wish, in that I ioy thy sight,

   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, London: William Ponsonbie, Book 4, Canto I, p. 5,^[5]

     For from the time that Scudamour her bought,

     In perilous fight, she neuer ioyed day […] .

   • 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 9, lines 1164-1168,^[6]

     Is this the Love, is this the recompence

     Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve, exprest

     Immutable when thou wert lost, not I,

     Who might have liv’d and joyd immortal bliss,

     Yet willingly chose rather Death with thee:

3. (transitive, obsolete) To give joy to; to congratulate.
   • 1718, Matthew Prior, Poems on Several Occasions, London: Jacob Tonson, p. 405,^[7]

     Evil like Us they shun, and covet Good;

     Abhor the Poison, and receive the Food.

     Like Us they love or hate: like Us they know,

     To joy the Friend, or grapple with the Foe.

4. (transitive, obsolete) To gladden; to make joyful; to exhilarate.
   • 1608, William Shakespeare, Pericles, Act I, Scene 2,^[8]

     Yet neither pleasure’s art can joy my spirits,

     Nor yet the other’s distance comfort me.

Uzbek

Etymology

From Persian ???? (jây).

Noun

joy (plural joylar)

1. place

Derived terms

• joylashmoq