adj
Uncommon
jolly
JO-lee
Jolly (adj) means Cheerful, good-humoured, and full of high spirits. Example: “The jolly old man handed out sweets to the children.”
adj
1
Cheerful, good-humoured, and full of high spirits.
"The jolly old man handed out sweets to the children."
"Everyone was in a jolly mood after the win."
"My grandad is a jolly fellow who laughs at his own jokes."
adv
1
British informal intensifier meaning "very."
"That's a jolly good idea."
"We had a jolly long walk, and my feet are sore now."
"It was jolly kind of you to lend me your umbrella."
How to use jolly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCheerful and merry, or (as an adverb in British English) simply "very."
When to use it
The adverb use ("jolly good," "jolly well") is distinctly British and fairly old-fashioned.
Common pairings
jolly good
jolly nice
a jolly mood
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- jollies
- Past tense
- jollied
- Comparative
- jollier, more jolly
- Superlative
- jolliest, most jolly
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ old man handed out sweets to the children.
Etymology
From Old French joli, "merry, cheerful" — its exact deeper origin is disputed, possibly linked to Old Norse jól ("Yule feast").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for jolly
See all rhymes for jolly →Frequently asked questions
What does “jolly” mean?
The word “jolly” means cheerful, good-humoured, and full of high spirits. In plain terms, cheerful and merry, or (as an adverb in British English) simply "very.".
How do you pronounce “jolly”?
“Jolly” is pronounced JO-lee (/ˈd͡ʒɑli/ in IPA).
How do you use “jolly” in a sentence?
Here is “jolly” used in a sentence: “The jolly old man handed out sweets to the children.”
What part of speech is “jolly”?
Depending on how it is used, “jolly” can be an adjective and an adverb.
Where does the word “jolly” come from?
The word “jolly” comes from Old French. From Old French joli, "merry, cheerful" — its exact deeper origin is disputed, possibly linked to Old Norse jól ("Yule feast").
Is “jolly” a common word?
“Jolly” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “jolly” have?
“Jolly” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: cheerful, good-humoured, and full of high spirits.
What is the difference between jolly and happy?
Jolly specifically implies a cheerful, good-humoured, high-spirited manner, often with an outgoing or festive quality, while happy is a more general word for feeling pleased or content. Jolly tends to describe an outward, sociable cheerfulness rather than a purely internal feeling.
When is jolly used as an intensifier?
As an adverb, jolly is a British informal intensifier meaning "very," as in "jolly good" or "jolly well." This usage is mainly heard in British English and sounds distinctly informal or old-fashioned in other varieties of English.
Is jolly good considered old-fashioned?
Yes, phrases like "jolly good" using the adverbial sense of jolly are often perceived as a somewhat dated or stereotypically British way of expressing strong approval, more common in earlier or more traditional speech than in everyday modern usage.
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