A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1438, 1499-1590
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Joyful(l, adj. Also: joiful, jofull. [ME. joyful (c 1290), joiful.]
1. Of persons, their feelings, actions, etc.: Joyful, rejoicing, feeling or manifesting joy. Also with complements.(1) 1375 Barb. xi. 142.
Quhen the kyng his host has seyne … He wes richt joyfull in his thoucht a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 341.
Thai turnyt agane with joyfull fare ?1438 Alex. ii. 3015.
Cassamus … thare was Glaid and ioyfull and richt mery c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 245.
The ioyfull birdis merrily did syng 1513 Doug. x. xii. 93.
A hungry lyon … Gif he on cace aspyis a swyft ra, Joyful he bradis tharon a1585 Maitland Quarto MS xlix. 47.
With joyfull hairt(2) 1375 Barb. iii. 422.
The king … wes ioyfull off that fynding a1400 Legends of the Saints xvi. 682.
So ioyful was the pilgrime To kis his sone ?a1500 Steel Roy Robert 19.
Thay war richt joyfull of that thing
2. Fraught with, attended by or bringing joy or rejoicing. a1400 Legends of the Saints xviii. 676.
The exaltacione … Of the forsad joyful tre a1400 Ib. xxii. 138.
Fere mare joyful wictorag c1500 Fyve Bestes 54.
To bring our saulis to that joyfull place a1500 Bernardus 81.
In ioyfule dayis and haly tyme paschale 1533 Gau 105/32.
The vangel or ioiful tithandis … throw the quhilk he wez wprasit in his hart a1568 Scott i. 5.
Welcum, oure jem and joyfull genetryce c1590 J. Stewart II. 218/§72.
This jofull jem abowe all jowels best Is nocht apoyntit for the vitious sort
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"Joyful adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/joyfull>
