gladness

Gladness is a positive emotional state characterized by pleasure, delight, or satisfaction, often in response to favorable circumstances, achievements, or acts of kindness. It is related to happiness and joy but is typically milder, more specific to a moment or cause, and sometimes connected to relief or gratitude rather than a pervasive sense of well-being.

Historically, the noun gladness is derived from the Old English glæd, meaning pleased or cheerful, with the suffix -nes forming the abstract noun. The term has been used in literature and religious texts to denote a cheerful or contented disposition and is more common in formal, literary, or ceremonial language today than in everyday speech.

In psychology, gladness is treated as a positive affect or mood state that can be influenced by external events and cognitive appraisal. It may be experienced with or without high arousal and is often expressed socially through smiles, laughter, or words of gratitude. Culturally, gladness can be framed as a communal or shared feeling during celebrations, rites, or moments of relief.

See also: happiness, joy, cheer, contentment, gratitude.