English

joyant

Imitation of the Irish pronunciation of giant.

Formed from joy + ant

Latin gaudeō ‘to be glad, rejoice’

Latin gaudium

Late Latin gaudia

Old French joie

Middle English joye ‘joy’

English joy

Proto-West Germanic *āmaitijā

Old English ǣmete

Middle English ampte ‘an ant’

English ant

Today it means

noun —

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.