delight

[ dih-lahyt ]

noun

1. a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment; joy; rapture:

   She takes great delight in her job.

   Synonyms: delectation, transport

   Antonyms: distress

2. something that gives great pleasure:

   The dance was a delight to see.

   Antonyms: disappointment

verb (used with object)

1. to give great pleasure, satisfaction, or enjoyment to; please highly:

   The show delighted everyone.

   Synonyms: enrapture, charm

verb (used without object)

1. to have great pleasure; take pleasure (followed by in or an infinitive):

   She delights in going for long walks in the country.

delight

/ dɪˈlaɪt /

verb

1. tr to please greatly
2. intrfoll byin to take great pleasure (in)

noun

1. extreme pleasure or satisfaction; joy
2. something that causes this

   music was always his delight

Derived Forms

• deˈlighter, noun

Other Words From

• de·lighter noun
• de·lighting·ly adverb
• de·lightless adjective
• self-de·light noun
• unde·lighting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of delight¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; (verb) respelling, after light ¹, of earlier delite, Middle English deliten, from Anglo-French deliter, Old French delitier, from Latin delectāre ( delectable ); (noun) respelling (as above) of Middle English delit, from Anglo-French, Old French, derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of delight¹

C13: from Old French delit, from deleitier to please, from Latin dēlectāre, from dēlicere to allure, from de- + lacere to entice; see delicious ; English spelling influenced by light

Synonym Study

See pleasure.

Example Sentences

“So he has a reason for everything,” says a visibly delighted Golijov, who answered Coppola’s call for that scene by writing a shimmering, surging love theme.

From Los Angeles Times

But “Wicked” will delight fans of the stage production as a faithful adaptation that is at once playful but reverent to the iconic “Defying Gravity.”

From Los Angeles Times

It’s a welcome time to reencounter “La Cage,” even if the production ultimately delights the senses more than it grabs the heart.

From Los Angeles Times

Prior to belting out her song, "Juno," Carpenter riffed with Domingo for a bit and threw him into some fuzzy handcuffs while everyone screamed with delight.

From Salon

Sony's mascot character delighted fans and critics when it arrived on the back of a Dual Sense controller in September.

From BBC

Related Words

• contentment
• glee
• joy
• pleasure
• satisfaction