mirth English · revision 842

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mɜːθ/ ''(UK)''; /mɜɹθ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|mirthe]], earlier ''murthe'',^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[inh|ang|myrgþ|t=joy, pleasure]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986) a noun of quality formed from ''myrige'' “pleasing, merry” (see [[merry]]) with the suffix ''-th''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986) It goes back to Proto-Germanic ''*murgiþō'', which also gave Middle Dutch ''merchte''.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In Old English, pleasurable feeling, joy or happiness, often religious joy and heavenly bliss (c. 888).^(OED 1989)^(HTOED)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word followed the sense development of ''merry''.^(Etymonline) The early senses of inner joy and eternal bliss are now obsolete.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) By the early 13th century it meant outward rejoicing and merrymaking,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) and in the 14th century also a diversion or entertainment and musical entertainment.^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) The modern sense, lightness of mood shown in laughter and jest, is recorded from 1390.^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) A short-lived verb ''mirth'', “to rejoice; to gladden”, was in use from about 1300 to the 17th century.^(OED 1989)^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 888 – Old English ''myrgþ'', joy, happiness.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1205 – rejoicing, merrymaking.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1320 – musical entertainment (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1386 – a diversion or sport (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1390 – gaiety shown in jest and laughter.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1928 – ''mirthquake'', a very funny entertainment.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Gladness and [[gaiety]], especially when expressed by [[laughter]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[amusement|alt=Amusement]] or laughter.^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mirthful]]

+ * [[mirthfully]]

+ * [[mirthfulness]]

+ * [[mirthless]]

+ * [[mirthlessly]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[merry]]

+ * [[merriment]]

+ * [[glee]]

+ * [[hilarity]]

+ * [[jollity]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Dictionaries distinguish ''mirth'' from its near-synonyms.^(AHD)^(RHWU) ''Mirth'' suggests lightheartedness and spontaneous, often brief laughter, while ''[[merriment]]'' is high-spirited fun, ''[[jollity]]'' convivial celebration, ''[[hilarity]]'' noisy, boisterous mirth, and ''[[glee]]'' jubilant delight, sometimes at another's misfortune.^(AHD)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}