jovial
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jovial¹
- /ˈd͡ʒəʊ.vɪ.əl/ UK
- /ˈd͡ʒoʊ.vɪ.əl/ US
- /ˈd͡ʒoʊ.vəl/
Where it comes from
First attested in 1590; borrowed from Middle French jovial (“under the influence of Jupiter; of Jove; jovial, jolly”), from Italian gioviale (“(now obsolete) born under the influence of the planet Jupiter”) (attested in Dante, Paradiso, canto XVIII, early 14th century), from Late Latin Ioviālis (“relating to the Roman god Jupiter”), from Iuppiter, Iovis (“the Roman god Jove or Jupiter, counterpart of the Greek god Zeus”) (from Proto-Indo-European *dyew- (“to be bright; heaven, sky”)) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship); analysable as Jove + -ial.
Sense 1 (“cheerful and good-humoured”) refers to the fact that individuals born under the astrological influence of the planet Jupiter were believed to have that disposition.
adjective more jovial · most jovial · joviall
-
Cheerful and good-humoured; jolly, merry.
A melancholy boddy is not the kindeſt nurſe for a chearely minde, (the joviall complexion is ſoverainly beholding to nature,) […]
Similar: berserk, blissed out, blithe, buoyant, chirpy, blithesome, bonnie, bright, cheerful, cheerly, cheery, chuffed · Opposite: saturnine, atrabiliary, atrabilious, blitheless, dispirited, blue, bummed out, chapfallen, cheerless, chopfallen, crestfallen, cut up
- Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Jupiter; having the characteristics of a person under such influence (see sense 1). This Planet [Jupiter] being a Fortune, and Friend unto nature, inclineth the native, upon this direction, not only unto healthfulneſs, but alſo to be jovial and merry, affable and pleaſant, and to delight in the company of religious men: […] [T]his direction importeth good from jovial perſons, and i
Jovial²
- /ˈd͡ʒəʊ.vɪ.əl/ UK
- /ˈd͡ʒoʊ.vɪ.əl/ US
Where it comes from
See jovial.
adjective
- Pertaining to the planet Jupiter; Jovian.
- Pertaining to the Roman god Jove or Jupiter (the counterpart of the Greek god Zeus), the god of the sky and thunder and the king of the gods; Jovian. I know the ſhape of's Legge: this is his Hand: / His Foote Mercuriall: his martiall Thigh / The brawnes of Hercules: but his Iouiall face— / Murther in heaven?
noun Jovials
- An inhabitant of the planet Jupiter; a Jovian.
Translations
Talk about this word "jovial." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/jovial. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. jovial. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/jovial "jovial." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/jovial.Cite this
@misc{jovial_2026,
title = {jovial},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/jovial},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
