Merry
Pronunciation in accents without the w, English-language_vowel_changes_before_historic_/r/#Mary.E2.80.93marry.E2.80.93merry_merger, "Mary, marry, merry" merger in accents with the
- Rhymes: -ɛri
Alternative forms
- merrie obsolete
Origin
From Middle English merie, mirie, myrie, murie, murÈe, from Old English meriÄ¡e, miriÄ¡e, myriÄ¡e, myreÄ¡e, myrÄ¡e ("pleasing, agreeable; pleasant, sweet, delightful; melodious"), from Proto-Germanic *murguz ("short, slow"), from Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus ("short"). Cognate with Scots mery, mirry ("merry"), Old High German murg, murgi
German murk ("short, lazy")}, Norwegian dialectal myrjel ("small object, figurine"), Latin brevis ("short, small, narrow, shallow").
Full definition of merry
Adjective
merry
- Jolly and full of high spiritsWe had a very merry Christmas.
- ShakespeareI am never merry when I hear sweet music.
- Festive and full of fun and laughter
- 1883, Howard Pyle, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hoodf I have the chance, I will make our worshipful Sheriff pay right well for that which he hath done to me. Maybe I may bring him some time into Sherwood Forest and have him to a right merry feast with us.
- Everyone was merry at the party.
- BriskThe play moved along at a merry pace.
- Causing laughter, mirth, gladness, or delight.a merry jest
- Spensermerry wind and weather
- (euphemistic) drunk; tipsySome of us got a little merry at the office Christmas party.
Alternative forms
- (obsolete) mery