Gladsome

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈɡlædsəm/

Definitions

1. Characterized by or expressing cheerfulness and delight in a bright and joyful way
2. Marked by a state of happiness and pleasure that shows itself through one's demeanor and expression
3. Showing a bright and happy spirit that brings cheer to others

Etymology: "Gladsome" is built from two plain English parts. The first, "glad," comes from Old English "glæd," meaning bright, shining, or pleased, a sense that still hints at light in words like "gleam" and "glow," which share the same ancestry. The second part, "-some," is a suffix that once meant "having the quality of," as in "awesome," "handsome," and "lonesome." The word entered English in Middle English as "gladsom," so the combination was already in use by the medieval period. The suffix "-some" was productive for centuries, which is why English speakers could form new adjectives from it so easily. "Gladsome" stayed a literary word, favoured by poets for its musical sound and its sense of joy that lights up a scene.

Synonyms: joyful, cheerful, merry, happy, delighted

Antonyms: sad, unhappy, dismal, miserable