delight

[dih-lahyt] /dɪˈlaɪt/
noun
1.
a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment; joy; rapture:
She takes great delight in her job.
2.
something that gives great pleasure:
The dance was a delight to see.
verb (used with object)
3.
to give great pleasure, satisfaction, or enjoyment to; please highly:
The show delighted everyone.
verb (used without object)
4.
to have great pleasure; take pleasure (followed by in or an infinitive):
She delights in going for long walks in the country.
Origin
1175-1225; (v.) respelling, after light1, of earlier delite, Middle English deliten < Anglo-French deliter, Old French delitier < Latin delectāre (see delectable); (noun) respelling (as above) of Middle English delit < Anglo-French, Old French, derivative of v.
Related forms
delighter, noun
delightingly, adverb
delightless, adjective
self-delight, noun
undelighting, adjective
Synonyms
1. transport, delectation. See pleasure. 3. charm, enrapture.
Antonyms
1. distress. 2. disappointment.
Examples from the web for delight
  • Come here at night, however, and the experience transforms into a sensuous delight-a real pleasure of shared community.
  • Fine linen is as great a delight to the housewife now as it was in the days when she spun and wove it herself.
  • It takes a savage delight in annihilation, even if there is no point to it.
  • To many of his colleagues, he seemed to take delight in testing the limits of the law to their extremity.
  • Yoho is also a hiker's dream and a railway buff's delight.
  • Few people will find delight in the dredge that is hauled from the ocean floor.
  • Enjoy hours of delight and discovery at this innovative museum for children and families.
  • She huffed off, still tethered to her phone, to our general delight.
  • The park is worth a nocturnal visit in any season-its extremely dark skies make stargazing a delight.
  • Scientists have long suspected that dopamine was linked to dread as well as delight.
British Dictionary definitions for delight

delight

/dɪˈlaɪt/
verb
1.
(transitive) to please greatly
2.
(intransitive) foll by in. to take great pleasure (in)
noun
3.
extreme pleasure or satisfaction; joy
4.
something that causes this: music was always his delight
Derived Forms
delighter, noun
Word Origin
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
Word Origin and History for delight
n.

c.1200, delit, from Old French delit "pleasure, delight, sexual desire," from delitier "please greatly, charm," from Latin delectare "to allure, delight, charm, please," frequentative of delicere "entice" (see delicious). Spelled delite until 16c. when it changed under influence of light, flight, etc.

v.

c.1200, deliten, from Old French delitier (see delight (n.)). Related: Delighted; delighting.

Slang definitions & phrases for delight

delight

Related Terms

boilermaker's delight