Schadenfreude
/ˈʃɑːdənˌfrɔɪdə/noun
Pleasure derived from another person’s misfortune or suffering.
Did you know?Although Schadenfreude is German, English borrowed it in the 19th century because no single traditional English word captured this distinctly uncomfortable emotion.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*skad-
“To injure, damage, or cause harm; the reconstructed root behind Germanic forms related to Schaden.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skaþō
“Harm, injury, or damage.”
Old High German
OHG
scado
“Harm, injury, or damage.”
Middle High German
MHG
schade
“Harm, misfortune, or loss.”
Early Modern German
German
Schadenfreude
“A compound of Schaden, “harm,” and Freude, “joy”; pleasure at another’s misfortune.”
19th Century
English
Schadenfreude
“An English loanword meaning enjoyment of another person’s troubles or failure.”