different between mirth vs recreation

English

Etymology

From Middle English merth, myrthe, murhthe, from Old English mergþ, mirgþ, myrgþ (“mirth, joy”), from Proto-Germanic *murgiþ? (“briefness, brevity”); equivalent to merry +? -th.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /m???/, [m??]; enPR: mûrth
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /m???/
• Rhymes: -??(?)?

Noun

mirth (usually uncountable, plural mirths)

1. The emotion usually following humour and accompanied by laughter; merriment; jollity; gaiety.
   • 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island:

     And he began to laugh again, and that so heartily, that, though I did not see the joke as he did, I was again obliged to join him in his mirth.

   • 1912, Willa Cather, The Bohemian Girl:

     Their eyes met and they began to laugh. They laughed as children do when they cannot contain themselves, and can not explain the cause of their mirth to grown people, but share it perfectly together.

2. That which causes merriment.
   • 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses:

     Phantasmal mirth, folded away: muskperfumed.

Synonyms

• (emotion): delight, glee, hilarity, jollity

Antonyms

• (emotion): sadness, gloom

Derived terms

Translations

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English myrgþ.

Noun

mirth

1. Alternative form of myrthe

Etymology 2

Derived from myrthe (noun).

Verb

mirth

1. Alternative form of myrthen

English

Etymology 1

From Middle French récréation, from Old French recreacion, from Latin recreatio.

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: r?-kr?-??sh?n, IPA^(key): /??k?i?e???n/
• (US) enPR: r?-kr?-??sh?n, IPA^(key): /??k?i?e???n/
• Rhymes: -e???n

Noun

recreation (countable and uncountable, plural recreations)

1. Any activity, such as play, that amuses, diverts or stimulates.

Synonyms

• leisure

Derived terms

Related terms

• recreate

Translations

Etymology 2

re- +? creation

Alternative forms

• re-creation

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: r?-kr?-??sh?n, IPA^(key): /?i?k?i?e???n/
• (US) enPR: r?-kr?-??sh?n, IPA^(key): /?i?k?i?e???n/
• Rhymes: -e???n

Noun

recreation (plural recreations)

1. The process of recreating something.
2. The result of this process.

Usage notes

Hyphenated form re-creation avoids confusion with more common other sense.

Related terms

• recreate

Translations