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glad 1 (glăd)
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adj. glad·der, glad·dest
1.
a. Experiencing or exhibiting joy and pleasure.
b. Appreciative: was glad to be home.
2. Providing joy and pleasure: a glad occasion.
3. Very willing; pleased: glad to help.
tr. & intr.v. glad·ded, glad·ding, glads
Archaic
To gladden.
[Middle English, from Old English glæd; see ghel-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
gladly adv.
gladness n.
Synonyms: glad1, happy, cheerful, lighthearted, joyful, joyous
These adjectives mean being in or showing good spirits. Glad often refers to the feeling that results from the gratification of a wish or from satisfaction with immediate circumstances: "They were smiling, lifting their hands to me, glad to be together, glad to see me" (Wendell Berry).
Happy applies to a feeling of pleasure, satisfaction, or joy: "Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you cease to be so" (John Stuart Mill).
Cheerful suggests characteristic good spirits: a cheerful volunteer.
Lighthearted stresses the absence of care: "We knew that things were hard for our Bohemian neighbors, but the two girls were lighthearted and never complained" (Willa Cather).
Joyful and joyous suggest lively, often exultant happiness: a joyful heart; joyous laughter.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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