Blithe
/blaɪθ/noun
Happy and carefree; cheerful.
Did you know?In Old English, 'blithe' was linked to the concept of 'joyful' but also had undertones of being 'carefree' to the point of neglecting responsibilities—almost dangerously so!
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*blithiz
“joyful, happy, or cheerful”
Old English
OE
blīðe
“happy, cheerful, or pleasant”
Middle English
ME
blithe
“joyous, happy; often carefree or indifferent to danger”
15th Century
English
blithe
“characterized by a carefree spirit, often in a way that disregards reality”
Modern English
English
blithe
“lighthearted and cheerful; often used in a poetic or romantic sense.”
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