Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Carefree and lighthearted.
  • adjective Lacking or showing a lack of due concern; casual.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To be blithe or merry.
  • To make blithe; gladden.
  • Kindly.
  • Gladly; blithely.
  • Kind; kindly. Levins (1570).
  • Glad; merry; joyous; sprightly; mirthful; gay: in colloquial use only in Scotland: as, “I'm blithe to see you.“
  • Characterized by or full of enjoyment; gladsome: said of things.
  • Synonyms Cheerful, light-hearted, elated, buoyant.
  • noun A blithe one.
  • noun Kindness; good will; favor.
  • noun Gladness; delight.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Gay; merry; sprightly; joyous; glad; cheerful.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective dated or literary Happy, cheerful.
  • adjective Indifferent, careless, showing a lack of concern.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective lacking or showing a lack of due concern
  • adjective carefree and happy and lighthearted

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old English blīthe.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English blithe, from Old English blīþe ("blithe, joyous, cheerful, pleasant; gracious, well-disposed, friendly, kind; agreeable, willing; quiet, peaceful, gentle"), from Proto-Germanic *blīþijaz, *blīþaz (“mild, pleasing, friendly”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰlī- (“light, pleasant, fine”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shine”). Cognate Scots blithe ("joyous, cheerful, happy, well-pleased"), North Frisian blid ("happy, glad"), West Frisian bliid ("glad, happy, joyful, joyous"), Dutch blijde, blij ("blithe, happy, joyous, glad"), German dialectal blid, blied ("glad, happy, cheerful"), Danish blid ("gentle"), Swedish blid ("mild, gentle, bland"), Icelandic blíður ("gentle, kind, friendly, mild"). Related to bliss.

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Examples

  • There was an unopened bottle of Woiwora, that my sister had sent me – in blithe disregard of postal regulations – as a housewarming present, under the impression that decent Polish vodka would be unavailable in the wild West.

    Writer Unboxed » Blog Archive » AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Diana Gabaldon, part 3 2008

  • Affected an expression of blithe dignity for the benefit of any of Williams neighbors who might be wondering at the strange woman on his doorstep who seemed content to knock all night.

    The Forgotten Garden Kate Morton 2009

  • Affected an expression of blithe dignity for the benefit of any of Williams neighbors who might be wondering at the strange woman on his doorstep who seemed content to knock all night.

    The Forgotten Garden Kate Morton 2009

  • Affected an expression of blithe dignity for the benefit of any of Williams neighbors who might be wondering at the strange woman on his doorstep who seemed content to knock all night.

    The Forgotten Garden Kate Morton 2009

  • In 2000, he was in blithe denial about global warming, although by 2001, he was ready to admit that there might be something to it after all.

    Hannity vs. Gore David 2007

  • In 2000, he was in blithe denial about global warming, although by 2001, he was ready to admit that there might be something to it after all.

    Archive 2007-02-01 David 2007

  • Affected an expression of blithe dignity for the benefit of any of Williams neighbors who might be wondering at the strange woman on his doorstep who seemed content to knock all night.

    The Forgotten Garden Kate Morton 2009

  • Affected an expression of blithe dignity for the benefit of any of Williams neighbors who might be wondering at the strange woman on his doorstep who seemed content to knock all night.

    Kate Morton Ebook Collection Kate Morton 2008

  • Here is the hardest question: How could the Administration have thought that it was safe to proceed in blithe indifference to the warnings of nearly everyone with operational experience in modern military occupations?

    Blind Into Baghdad 2004

  • Here is the hardest question: How could the Administration have thought that it was safe to proceed in blithe indifference to the warnings of nearly everyone with operational experience in modern military occupations?

    Blind Into Baghdad 2004

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  • They slept until the black raven,

    the blithe hearted

    proclaimed the joy of heaven

    - Beowulf

    June 20, 2008