late 14c., overjoien, "to rejoice over, gloat" (a sense now obsolete), from over- + joy (q.v.); translating Latin supergaudere (in Psalms xxxiv, etc.). Transitive sense of "to fill with gladness, give great or extreme joy to" is recorded from 1570s (now usually in past participle overjoyed). Middle English had also a verb overmirthen "rejoice" (c. 1400).

c. 1300, rejoisen, "to own (goods, property), possess, enjoy the possession of, have the fruition of," from Old French rejoiss-, present participle stem of rejoir, resjoir "gladden, rejoice," from re-, which here is of obscure signification, perhaps an intensive (see re-), + joir "be glad," from Latin gaudere "rejoice" (see joy).

From mid-14c. in a transitive sense of "make joyful, gladden." Intransitive meaning "be full of joy" is recorded from late 14c. Middle English also used simple verb joy "to feel gladness; experience joy in a high degree" (mid-13c.) and rejoy (early 14c.). Also in 15c.-16c. "to have (someone) as husband or wife, to have for oneself and enjoy." To rejoice in "be glad about, delight in" is from late 14c. Related: Rejoiced; rejoicing.