- Today's Word
Joyvency
[joi-vn-see]
Definition
- (noun) A portmanteau of “joy” and “juvenescence” (the state of being youthful or regaining youthful qualities), this term refers to a state of pure, childlike joy and exuberance that rejuvenates the spirit and awakens a sense of youthful vitality.
Example
As she danced barefoot in the rain, splashing in puddles and twirling with abandon, Sarah felt a surge of joyvency wash over her, transporting her back to the carefree bliss of childhood and filling her with an infectious sense of youthful glee.
Fun Fact
The concept of “joyvency” celebrates the idea that experiencing moments of pure, uninhibited joy can have a rejuvenating effect on the soul, awakening a sense of youthful exuberance and vitality that transcends age. It suggests that tapping into the well of childlike wonder and delight can be a potent elixir, revitalizing the spirit and reminding us of the simple joys that once filled our younger selves with boundless enthusiasm and zest for life.
(noun) An excessive amount of something, often to the point of disgust or discomfort.
The holiday season left him with a surfeit of goodwill and absolutely no energy — too many parties, too many conversations, too many people he genuinely liked but couldn’t face for one more evening.
Surfeit derives from the Old French surfait, meaning “excess,” built from sur- (“over” or “above”) and faire (“to do”) — literally “overdone.” It entered English in the 14th century, initially used almost exclusively in medical contexts to describe the physical consequences of overeating or overdrinking — conditions so common in medieval feast culture that physicians had developed elaborate treatments for them. Over time it broadened into its modern sense of any excess so overwhelming it tips from pleasure into discomfort.