Enjoyable

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ɪnˈd͡ʒɔɪ.jə.bl̩/

Definitions

1. Having qualities or attributes that result in pleasure or happiness for those experiencing them
2. Bringing a sense of happiness or satisfaction through engaging and pleasurable experiences
3. Providing a feeling of pleasure and delight to those who experience it

Etymology: "Enjoyable" is a plain formation: the verb "enjoy" with the suffix "-able" attached, meaning capable of being enjoyed. The verb itself arrived in English from Old French "enjoir," which came from "enjoier" meaning to give joy to, and that goes back to Latin roots meaning "in" and "joy." So the word literally describes something that can be made into joy for someone. The suffix does the heavy lifting here. "-able" passed into English through Old French "-able" from Latin "-ābilis," which carried the sense of "able to be" or "fit for." Its ancestor is an ancient form that also ended up in words like "-ble" in "possible" and "visible," so "enjoyable" sits in the same family as those words. English speakers have attached "-able" to verbs freely for centuries, which is why the suffix turns up on so many everyday words.

Synonyms: pleasurable, delightful, fun, entertaining, satisfying

Antonyms: unenjoyable, displeasing, dull, boring, tiresome