gladsome

/ˈɡlædsəm/

Etymology

From Middle English gladsom, equivalent to glad + -some.

gladsome means marked by joy or gladness; happy, joyous, or light-hearted. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 84 out of 100.

Why this word is great

GLADSOME — [Adjective] Marked by or causing joy and gladness; characterized by cheerful, light-hearted contentment. From Middle English gladsom, formed from glad ("joyous, cheerful") + the suffix -some ("characterized by, tending to"). Unlike "winsome," which suggests a charming performance for an audience, or "jubilant," which implies a clamorous, triumphant peak, gladsome is the quiet, radiant baseline of a contented heart. It is the simple yellow of a primrose in sparse grass, the uncomplicated sound of a child's laughter in another room, or the warmth of sun on shoulders after a long winter—a gentle proof that happiness can be a settled condition, not merely a clamorous event, and the heart's quiet acknowledgment that, for now, enough is plenty.

adj

Marked by joy or gladness; happy, joyous, or light-hearted.“I was not surprised, when I ran down into the hall, to see that a brilliant June morning had succeeded to the tempest of the night; and to feel, through the open glass door, the breathing of a fresh and fragrant breeze. Nature must be gladsome when I was so happy.”