felicity
- Intense happiness or a state of great joy and contentment.
- A particularly apt and pleasing choice of words or style in writing or speech.
In a sentence
- The couple's wedding day was marked by a felicity that touched every guest present.
- The poet was admired for the felicity of her imagery and the precision of her language.
Usage note. In literary contexts, 'felicity' often refers specifically to elegant aptness of expression, so check which sense is intended before substituting 'happiness'.
Where it comes from
English felicity — “great happiness; apt expression” · entered English 14th c.
From Latin 'felicitas', meaning 'happiness' or 'good fortune', derived from 'felix' (genitive 'felicis') meaning 'happy' or 'fruitful'. The word entered English in the late 14th century via Old French 'felicite'. Latin 'felix' may ultimately relate to a root connected with fruitfulness or fertility (source: Oxford, Etymonline).