blithe

views updated May 21 2018

blithe / blī[voicedth]; blī[unvoicedth]/ • adj. showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper: a blithe disregard for the rules of the road. ∎  happy or joyous: a blithe seaside comedy.DERIVATIVES: blithe·ly adv.blithe·ness n.blithe·some / -səm/ adj. ( poetic/lit. ).

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

blithe

views updated May 23 2018

blithe joyous. OE. blīðe = OS. blīði, OHG. blīdi cheerful, friendly, ON. blīðr, Goth. bleiþs :- Gmc. *blīþiz; of unkn. orig. Cf. BLISS.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

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