blisful

Middle English

Alternative forms

• blesful, blesfull, blisfull, blisseful, blysfol, blysful, blysseful, blyssfull
• blisvol (Kent)

Etymology

Formed from blisse (“bliss, joy”) +‎ -ful (“-full, -y”) at a time when the Old English distinction between nominative blis and oblique blisse was still current.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈblisful/, (influenced by blessen) /ˈblɛsful/

Adjective

blisful (plural and weak singular blisfulle)

1. Positive, joyous; creating positivity:
   1. Pleased, cheerful; in a positive mood.
   2. Thriving, successful; doing well.
2. Amazing, wonderful; inspiring satisfaction:
   1. Heavenly, blessed; redolent of heaven.
      • 1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “Here Bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunt́burẏ”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 2, recto:

        […] and specıallẏ from euerẏ shires ende / Of Engelond to Caunterburẏ theẏ wende / The holẏ blıſful martır foꝛ to seke / That hem hath holpen whan þᵗ theẏ weere seeke […]

        […] and specially from every county's end / of England to Canterbury they went / to seek the holy blessed martyr / that had helped them when they were sick […]

   2. Beautiful, attractive; visually appealing.
   3. Holy, sacred; deserving worship.

Descendants

• English: blissful
• Scots: blissfu

References

• “blisful, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.