Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Blithe

Blithe

(blīth)
,
Adj.
[AS.
blīðe
blithe, kind; akin to Goth.
bleiþs
kind, Icel.
blīðr
mild, gentle, Dan. & Sw.
blid
gentle, D.
blijd
blithe, OHG.
blīdi
kind, blithe.]
Gay; merry; sprightly; joyous; glad; cheerful;
as, a
blithe
spirit
.
The
blithe
sounds of festal music.
Prescott.
A daughter fair,
So buxom,
blithe
, and debonair.
Milton.

Webster 1828 Edition

Blithe

BLITHE

,
Adj.
[L. loetus; Eng. glad. See Bliss and glad.]
Gay; merry; joyous; sprightly; mirthful.
For that fair female troop thou sawest, that seemed
Of goddesses, so blithe, so smooth, so gay.

Definition 2024

blithe

blithe

See also: bliþe

English

Adjective

blithe ‎(comparative blither, superlative blithest)

  1. (dated or literary) Happy, cheerful.
  2. Indifferent, careless, showing a lack of concern.
    She had a blithe disregard of cultures outside the United States.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Scots

Etymology

Old English blīþe, from Proto-Germanic *blīþiz. Cognate with Danish blid, Dutch blij, Icelandic blíður. Compare bliss.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /blaɪð/
  • Rhymes: -aɪð

Adjective

blithe ‎(comparative blither, superlative blithest)

  1. Happy
A howp ye haed a blithe birthday - I hope you had a happy birthday

Etymology

From Middle English blithe, from Old English blīþe ‎(“blithe, joyous, cheerful, pleasant; gracious, well-disposed, friendly, kind; agreeable, willing; quiet, peaceful, gentle”), from Proto-Germanic *blīþiz ‎(“mild, pleasing, friendly”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰlī- ‎(“light, pleasant, fine”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- ‎(“to shine”). Cognate Scots blithe ‎(“joyous, cheerful, happy, well-pleased”), North Frisian blid ‎(“happy, glad”), Saterland Frisian bliede ‎(“happy, joyous, blithe”), West Frisian bliid ‎(“glad, happy, joyful, joyous”), Dutch blijde, blij ‎(“blithe, happy, joyous, glad”), German dialectal blid, blied ‎(“glad, happy, cheerful”), Danish blid ‎(“gentle”), Swedish blid ‎(“mild, gentle, bland”), Icelandic blíður ‎(“gentle, kind, friendly, mild”). Related to bliss.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /blaɪð/
  • Rhymes: -aɪð

Similar Results