Cheerful
/ˈtʃɪə.fəl/noun
Noticeably happy and optimistic.
Did you know?In Middle English, *cheer* could mean your face, your expression, or your state of mind, so being “cheerful” originally meant having a bright outward countenance as a sign of inner feeling.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʰer-
“to heat, warm”
Late Latin
Latin
cara
“face, expression”
Old French
Old French
chiere
“face, expression, countenance; welcome, mood”
Middle English
English
chereful
“having a pleasant countenance; glad, lively”
Modern English
English
cheerful
“full of cheer; happy and optimistic”