gaieté

gaiety, cheerfulness

noun geh-eh-TEH Rare

Usage Note

Gaieté conveys a light, carefree happiness. The phrase de gaieté de coeur (literally 'out of cheerfulness of heart') is an idiom meaning 'willingly' or 'lightly', almost always used in the negative: je ne le fais pas de gaieté de coeur means 'I don't do it gladly'. An older spelling gaîté with a circumflex is also accepted.

Examples

"Sa gaieté est communicative."

Natural Translation

Her cheerfulness is infectious.

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