1580s, "under the influence of the planet Jupiter," from French jovial (16c.), from Italian joviale, literally "pertaining to Jupiter," and directly from Late Latin Iovialis "of Jupiter," from Latin Iovius (used as genitive of Iuppiter) "of or pertaining to Jupiter," Roman god of the sky (see Jove). The meaning "good-humored, merry," is from the astrological belief that those born under the sign of the planet Jupiter are of such dispositions. Related: Jovially.
1620s, from French jovialite (17c.), from jovial (see jovial).
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to shine," in derivatives "sky, heaven, god."
It forms all or part of: adieu; adios; adjourn; Asmodeus; circadian; deific; deify; deism; deity; deodand; deus ex machina; deva; dial; diary; Diana; Dianthus; diet (n.2) "assembly;" Dioscuri; Dis; dismal; diurnal; diva; Dives; divine; joss; journal; journalist; journey; Jove; jovial; Julia; Julius; July; Jupiter; meridian; Midi; per diem; psychedelic; quotidian; sojourn; Tuesday; Zeus.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit deva "god" (literally "shining one"); diva "by day;" Avestan dava- "spirit, demon;" Greek delos "clear;" Latin dies "day," deus "god;" Welsh diw, Breton deiz "day;" Armenian tiw "day;" Lithuanian dievas "god," diena "day;" Old Church Slavonic dini, Polish dzień, Russian den "day;" Old Norse tivar "gods;" Old English Tig, genitive Tiwes, name of a god.
"fat, humorous, jovial," 1782, from Shakespeare's character.
"mock-serenade; loud noise making" 1843, earlier sherrie-varrie (1805) and derived from older charivari (q.v.). Originally done to mock unpopular marriages, it later became more of a jovial tormenting of newlyweds, and later extended to any noisy commotion. Century Dictionary describes it as "vulgar, southern U.S.;" OED describes it as "U.S. and Cornwall." Also by 1854 in alternate form shinaree, shenaree.
also bon vivant, "jovial companion, one fond of good living," 1690s, French (see bon); the fem. is bonne vivante.
c. 1600, "to be jovial and boisterous," also "to talk bombastically," from Dutch randten (earlier ranten) "talk foolishly, rave," of unknown origin (compare German rantzen "to frolic, spring about," dialectal rant "noise, uproar"). Related: Ranted; ranting. Ranters as the name of an antinomian sect which arose in England c. 1645 is attested from 1651; applied 1823 to Primitive Methodists. A 1700 slang dictionary has rantipole "a rude wild Boy or Girl" (also as a verb and adjective); to ride rantipole meant "The woman uppermost in the amorous congress" [Grose].
type of grotesque blackface doll, 1895, coined by English children's book author and illustrator Florence K. Upton, perhaps from golly + polliwog. Originally appearing in the 1895 children's book The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls and a "Golliwogg" [sic] the titular Golliwogg is a gentlemanly toy doll of a monstrous appearance. Nothing in the original text indicates an intention for the character to represent a Black person (the dolls in fact encounter a human looking "jovial African" doll elsewhere in the story), but the design of the Golliwogg doll is often interpreted as such. Hence slang shortening golly, "a Black person" by 1976 and wog (q.v.)
"discoloration around the eye from injury" c. 1600, from black (adj.) + eye (n.). The figurative sense of "injury to pride, rebuff" is by 1744; that of "bad reputation" is from 1880s.
In reference to dark eyes, often as a mark of beauty, from 1660s. Black-eyed is from 1590s in reference to women, from 1728 in reference to peas. The black-eyed Susan as a flower name (various species) is by 1881, for their appearance. It also was the title of a poem by John Gay (1685-1732), which led to a popular mid-19c. British stage play of the same name.
All in the Downs the fleet was moored,
The streamers waving in the wind,
When black-eyed Susan came aboard,
"Oh! where shall I my true love find?
Tell me, ye jovial sailors, tell me true,
If my sweet William sails among the crew?"
[etc.]
