delight
duh-LYT
Delight (noun) means a feeling of great pleasure or joy. Example: “To my delight, the train arrived early and I made the meeting.”
noun
1
A feeling of great pleasure or joy.
"To my delight, the train arrived early and I made the meeting."
"He read the letter with obvious delight and showed it to everyone."
"The children squealed with delight at the fireworks."
verb
1
To give someone great pleasure or joy.
"The puppy's silly tricks never fail to delight the toddlers."
"Her surprise visit delighted the whole family."
"The magician delighted the audience with his tricks."
How to use delight
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA strong feeling of joy, or the act of making someone feel that way.
Common pairings
squeal with delight
take delight in
delight the crowd
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Word forms
- Plural
- delights
- Third person singular
- delights
- Past tense
- delighted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
To my _____, the train arrived early and I made the meeting.
Etymology
From Old French deliter, from Latin delectare, "to please." The modern spelling with "gh" came later, likely influenced by words like "light" and "might."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for delight
See all rhymes for delight →Frequently asked questions
What does “delight” mean?
The word “delight” means a feeling of great pleasure or joy. In plain terms, a strong feeling of joy, or the act of making someone feel that way.
How do you pronounce “delight”?
“Delight” is pronounced duh-LYT (/dəˈlaɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “delight” in a sentence?
Here is “delight” used in a sentence: “The children squealed with delight at the fireworks.”
What is another word for “delight”?
Words with a similar meaning to “delight” include delection.
What part of speech is “delight”?
Depending on how it is used, “delight” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “delight” come from?
The word “delight” comes from Latin. From Old French deliter, from Latin delectare, "to please." The modern spelling with "gh" came later, likely influenced by words like "light" and "might.".
Is “delight” a common word?
“Delight” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “delight” have?
“Delight” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a feeling of great pleasure or joy.
What is the difference between "delight" and "pleasure"?
"Delight" is a strong, lively feeling of joy, often with a sense of surprise or enthusiasm, while "pleasure" is a broader, calmer sense of enjoyment or satisfaction. You might take pleasure in a quiet evening but feel delight at unexpected good news.
Can "delight" be used as both a noun and a verb?
Yes. As a noun, "delight" names a feeling of great pleasure, as in "to her delight." As a verb, it means to give someone great pleasure, as in "the show delighted the audience."
What words commonly go with "delight"?
"Delight" often appears in phrases such as "sheer delight," "pure delight," "to my delight," "squeal with delight," and "take delight in." These pairings emphasise intense, evident enjoyment.
