jovial

[ joh-vee-uhl ]

adjective

1. endowed with or characterized by a hearty, joyous humor or a spirit of good-fellowship:

   a wonderfully jovial host.

   Synonyms: mirthful, joyful, gay, convivial, jolly, merry

   Antonyms: gloomy

2. (initial capital letter) of or relating to the god Jove, or Jupiter.

jovial

/ ˈdʒəʊvɪəl /

adjective

1. having or expressing convivial humour; jolly

Derived Forms

• ˈjovially, adverb
• ˌjoviˈality, noun

Other Words From

• jovi·al·ly adverb
• jovi·al·ness noun
• un·jovi·al adjective
• un·jovi·al·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of jovial¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Medieval Latin joviālis “of Jupiter” (the planet, supposed to exert a happy influence), equivalent to Latin jovi- ( Jovian ) + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of jovial¹

C16: from Latin joviālis of (the planet) Jupiter, considered by astrologers to foster good humour

Synonym Study

Jovial, jocose, jocular, jocund agree in referring to someone who is in a good humor. Jovial suggests a hearty, joyous humor: a jovial person. Jocose refers to that which causes laughter; it suggests someone who is playful and given to jesting: with jocose and comical airs. Jocular means humorous, facetious, mirthful, and waggish: jocular enough to keep up the spirits of all around him. Jocund, now a literary word, suggests a cheerful, light-hearted, and sprightly gaiety: glad and jocund company.

Example Sentences

I tried really hard in between takes to just be jovial and make jokes and stuff like that.

From Los Angeles Times

His media career blossomed as a jovial foil to the tough-talking, former Manchester United captain Roy Keane on Sky Sports' Super Sunday.

From BBC

The ex-Netherlands international was jovial when he wandered over at the start of a training session in Los Angeles to speak to a group of journalists, some of who covered the club when he was a United player 20 years ago.

From BBC

Mark Hartman, the coach of that Little League championship team, said Flaherty was a jovial kid off the field, but never on it.

From Los Angeles Times

Maybe the intended effect was to make his questions look harder-hitting than those posed by jovial entertainers.

From Salon

Related Words

• affable
• amiable
• buoyant
• cheery
• chipper
• convivial
• cordial
• festive
• good-natured
• jolly
• lighthearted
• pleasant
• sociable