delight English · revision 10751

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1225|origins=fro delit|origins=la delectare}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /dɪˈlaɪt/, /dəˈlaɪt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fro|delit|t=pleasure, delight]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from delitier, to please greatly,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from Latin dēlectāre, to allure, charm,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) a frequentative of dēlicere, to entice, from dē-, away, and lacere, to entice (see [[delicious]] and [[delicate]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) The spelling with gh, after native words such as [[light]] and flight, came into use in the 16th century;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(Cresswell 2021) delight has no real connection with light.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Great pleasure or satisfaction: probably before 1200 in the Ancrene Riwle,^(Barnhart 1988) before 1225 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Something that gives great pleasure is also from before 1225,^(OED 1989) and ''to take delight in'' from about 1230.^(OED 1989) The verb, to take great pleasure, is from about 1200, and to give great pleasure from about 1300.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) ''Delightful'' is from before 1400.^(Barnhart 1988) ''Lumps of delight'' was an old name for Turkish delight (1870).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1225 – great pleasure.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1230 – to take delight in.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1300 – to delight someone.^(Etymonline)

+ * before 1400 – delightful.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 16th century – the spelling delight.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Great [[pleasure]] or [[joy]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Something or someone that gives great pleasure.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To please greatly.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To take great pleasure, with ''in'': ''she delights in music''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[delighter]]

+ * [[delightingly]]

+ * [[delightless]]

+ * [[delightsome]]

+ * [[delightful]]

+ * [[undelighting]]

+ * [[idiot's delight]]

+ * [[Turkish delight]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[delicacy]]

+ * [[delicate]]

+ * [[delicatessen]]

+ * [[delicious]]

+ * [[delectable]]

+ * [[dilettante]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}