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Antonyms for jovial

Grammar : Adj
Spell : joh-vee-uhl
Phonetic Transcription : ˈdʒoʊ vi əl


Definition of jovial

Origin :
  • 1580s, "under the influence of the planet Jupiter," from Middle French jovial (16c.), from Italian joviale, literally "pertaining to Jupiter," and directly from Latin Iovialis "of Jupiter," from Iovius (used as genitive of Iuppiter) "Jupiter," Roman god of the sky (see Jove). The meaning "good-humored, merry," is from astrological belief that those born under the sign of the planet Jupiter are of such dispositions. Related: Jovially.
  • adj happy
Example sentences :
  • A solitary ruffian, indeed, is moody, but a gang of ruffians are jovial.
  • Extract from : « Night and Morning, Complete » by Edward Bulwer-Lytton
  • The Marchese, who was in a jovial mood, opened a bank for them.
  • Extract from : « Casanova's Homecoming » by Arthur Schnitzler
  • You will be jovial, my dear Martin, and will kill the fatted calf if you please!'
  • Extract from : « Life And Adventures Of Martin Chuzzlewit » by Charles Dickens
  • Never did he seem so careless, our Scribe asserts, and so jovial and child-like in his joys.
  • Extract from : « The Book of Khalid » by Ameen Rihani
  • "You are wrong," he said in a jovial way so as to drive all bitterness from the discussion.
  • Extract from : « Fruitfulness » by Emile Zola
  • Wyck liked his companion's light and jovial manner, and Tommy liked Wyck's pocket.
  • Extract from : « Australia Revenged » by Boomerang
  • St. Dunstan knew, as well as any one, the prerogatives of a jovial friar.
  • Extract from : « An Old Sailor's Yarns » by Nathaniel Ames
  • He received the applicants in an alert, jovial fashion which was quite surprising.
  • Extract from : « Chance » by Joseph Conrad
  • In a jovial tone he assured me that there must be many of that sort.
  • Extract from : « 'Twixt Land & Sea » by Joseph Conrad
  • He, too, although he attempted to be jovial, was strangely uneasy.
  • Extract from : « 'Smiles' » by Eliot H. Robinson

Synonyms for jovial

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019