joie de vivre

/ˌʒwɑː də ˈviːvrə/ French Origin Culture

Original Word

joie de vivre

French

Entered English

Late 19th century

First recorded usage in English

The Story Behind "joie de vivre"

From French 'joie de vivre', literally 'joy of living'. An exuberant enjoyment of life, a quality the French are culturally associated with. The phrase has no direct English equivalent and has been used in English since the late 19th century.

Example Usage

"Her joie de vivre was infectious — she made everyone around her feel alive."

All French Loanwords Look Up in Dictionary

More French Loanwords

fiancé — fiancé Culture · 19th century bouquet — bouquet Culture · 18th century faux pas — faux pas Culture · 17th century rendezvous — rendez-vous Culture · 16th century déjà vu — déjà-vu Psychology · Early 20th century entrepreneur — entrepreneur Business · 19th century café — café Food & Drink · 19th century restaurant — restaurant Food & Drink · 19th century