felicity

noun

fe·​lic·​i·​ty fi-ˈli-sə-tē 

plural felicities

1

a

: the quality or state of being happy

especially : great happiness

marital felicity

b

: an instance of happiness

2

: something that causes happiness

… the small felicities and absurdities of real life manage to peek through the gloom.

—A. O. Scott

3

: a pleasing manner or quality especially in art or language

a felicity with words

The curve of her mouth gives her a Mona Lisa smile, but that's just a felicity of her anatomy.

—Diane Ackerman

4

: an apt expression

The poet was well known for his felicities.

Synonyms

• beatitude
• blessedness
• bliss
• blissfulness
• gladness
• happiness
• joy
• warm fuzzies

Examples of felicity in a Sentence

I've always admired his felicity with words.

told his friends that marriage had brought him a felicity that he had never known before

Recent Examples on the Web

So: Is any of this so very different from the absurd, grab-bag felicity of director King's Paddington 2, where we were enchanted watching a teddy bear sing and dance in prison? —Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 15 Dec. 2023

However, Juneteenth maintains a resolve to protect Black family, freedom, and felicity. —Danielle Broadway, Parents, 18 Nov. 2023

Again, studying the felicity conditions is what is needed. —Kai Von Fintel, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2023

With a band of this size there are felicities in the orchestration, not least in the elegant writing for woodwinds, but even those are smudged by a poor sound design that runs the gamut from loud to much louder. —David Benedict, Variety, 19 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle English felicite, from Anglo-French felicité, from Latin felicitat-, felicitas, from felic-, felix fruitful, happy — more at feminine

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

felicity

noun

fe·​lic·​i·​ty fi-ˈlis-ət-ē 

plural felicities

1

: great happiness : bliss

2

: something that causes happiness

3

: a pleasing manner or quality especially in art or language

a felicity with words

4

: a suitable expression