gaiety

Borrowed from French gaieté, from gai. By surface analysis, gay +‎ -ety.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡeɪ.ə.ti/, /ˈɡeɪ.ɪ.ti/

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• Hyphenation: gai‧e‧ty
• Rhymes: -eɪɪti

gaiety (countable and uncountable, plural gaieties)

1. (dated, uncountable) The state of being happy or merry.
   • 1822 May 21, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Love Charms”, in Bracebridge Hall, or The Humourists. A Medley. […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: […] C. S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 218:

     During the present gayety of the house, however, the poor girl has gone about with a face full of trouble, and to use the housekeeper's words, "has fallen into a sad hystericky way lately."

   • 1963, Margery Allingham, “Dangerous Lady”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC, page 36:

     Now that she had rested and had fed from the luncheon tray Mrs. Broome had just removed, she had reverted to her normal gaiety. She looked cool in a grey tailored cotton dress with a terracotta scarf and shoes and her hair a black silk helmet.

   There was much gaiety at the ball.

   The decorations added greatly to the gaiety of the room.

2. (dated, countable) Merrymaking or festivity.
   • 1863, J[oseph] Sheridan Le Fanu, “How an Evening Passes at the Elms, and Dr. Toole Makes a Little Excursion; and Two Choice Spirits Discourse, and Hebe Trips in with the Nectar”, in The House by the Church-yard. […], volume II, London: Tinsley, Brothers, […], →OCLC, pages 275–276:

     And he would tell her all sorts of wonders, old-world gaieties, long before she was born; and how finely the great Mr. [George Frideric] Handel played upon the harpsichord in the Music Hall, and how his talk was in German, Latin, French, English, Italian, and half-a-dozen languages beside, [...]

• (state of being happy): gayness