Definitions

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

  • noun Great happiness; bliss.
  • noun An instance of great happiness.
  • noun A cause or source of happiness.
  • noun An appropriate and pleasing manner or style.
  • noun An instance of appropriate and pleasing manner or style.
  • noun Archaic Good fortune.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Happiness; bliss; blessedness; a blissful or happy state.
  • noun That which produces or promotes happiness; a felicitous circumstance or state of things; a source of happiness: most commonly in the plural.
  • noun A skilful or happy faculty or turn; felicitous adroitness or propriety; a happy knack or choice; appropriateness: as, a rare felicity of phrase.
  • noun An appropriate or happy turn of thought or expression.
  • noun In astrology, a favorable aspect.
  • noun Synonyms Blessedness, Bliss, etc. (see happiness); joy, comfort, blissfulness, success, good fortune.
  • noun Aptness.

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

  • noun The state of being happy; blessedness; blissfulness; enjoyment of good.
  • noun That which promotes happiness; a successful or gratifying event; prosperity; blessing.
  • noun A pleasing faculty or accomplishment.

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

  • noun Happiness.
  • noun Apt and pleasing style in writing, speech, etc.
  • noun Something that is either a source of happiness or particularly apt.
  • noun Reproduction of a sign with fidelity. eg. "The quotation was rendered with felicity."

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

  • noun state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
  • noun pleasing and appropriate manner or style (especially manner or style of expression)

Etymologies

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

[Middle English felicite, from Old French felicite, from Latin fēlīcitās, from fēlīx, fēlīc-, fortunate; see dhē(i)- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin felicitās ("luck"), from Latin felix ("lucky").

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Examples

  • Look on me as your friend, dear Matilda, - be explicit - do not consider the Count or myself; speak your wishes, your hopes, and be assured that your felicity is my first wish, whatever it may cost me.

    The Castle of Wolfenbach Eliza 1793

  • Holy love to God as the chief good and our felicity is the power of godliness, the very life and soul of religion, without which all external professions and performances are but a shell and carcase: now here we have some of the expressions of that love.

    Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume III (Job to Song of Solomon) 1721

  • Its force, its felicity is in its reach toward the ineffable.

    Toni Morrison - Nobel Lecture 1997

  • Thus, with a spirit wrapped in felicity, for victory hailed him from without, and love seemed to woo him to the dearest transports within, he wrote the following letter to Wallace: –

    The Scottish Chiefs 1875

  • That the great are not as happy as they seem, that the external circumstances of fortune and rank do not constitute felicity, is asserted by every moralist; the historian can seldom, consistently with his dignity, pause to illustrate this truth, it is therefore to the biographer we must have recourse.

    Castle Rackrent: An Hibernian Tale 1800

  • I am convinced that felicity is not confined to any particular station, or condition in life; yet methinks some are better calculated to afford it to me, than others.

    The Coquette, or, The History of Eliza Wharton: A Novel Founded on Fact 1797

  • In this seat of felicity is every enjoyment which fancy can form, or friendship, with affluence, bestow; but still my mind frequently returns to the happy shades of my nativity.

    The Coquette, or, The History of Eliza Wharton: A Novel Founded on Fact 1797

  • But human felicity is short and uncertain; a second marriage brought upon him so much disquiet, as, for

    Lives of the Poets, Volume 1 Samuel Johnson 1746

  • The greatness of this future felicity is declared and illustrated,

    Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume VI (Acts to Revelation) 1721

  • “I feel the highest gratitude and attachment to my country—her felicity is the most fervent prayer of my heart.”

    Ratification Pauline Maier 2010

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