gleeful

UK: /ˈgliːfʊl/ US: (glē′fəl)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

glee•ful  (glē′fəl), adj. 

1. full of exultant joy;
   merry;
   delighted.

• glee¹ + -ful 1580–90

glee′ful•ly, adv. 
glee′ful•ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

gleeful / ˈɡliːfʊl/ adjective

1. full of glee; merry

ˈgleefully adverb

ˈgleefulness noun

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

glee¹ /gli/   n. [uncountable]

1. delight;
   great joy:
   The children were full of glee.

glee•ful, adj. 
glee•ful•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

glee¹  (glē), n. 

1. open delight or pleasure;
   exultant joy;
   exultation.
2. an unaccompanied part song for three or more voices, popular esp. in the 18th century.

• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English glēo; cognate with Old Norse glȳ; akin to glow

Synonyms

• 1. merriment, jollity, hilarity, mirth, joviality, gaiety. See mirth. 

glee²  (glē), [Scot. and North Eng.]
v.i. 

1. Scottish Terms to squint or look with one eye.

n. 

2. Scottish Terms a squint.
3. an imperfect eye, esp. one with a cast.

• Scandinavian; compare Old Norse gljā to shine
• 1250–1300; Middle English glien, gleen; perh.