Basic Details
Word: Felicity
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Great happiness. It can also mean a gift for choosing exactly the right words, as in the felicity of a poet's lines.
Synonyms: happiness, joy, bliss, delight
Antonyms: misery, sorrow, unhappiness
How to Spell Felicity
Syllables: fe - lic - i - ty
Tricky part: There is only one l, and the middle sound is spelt with c, not s. The word closes with -ity, the same ending as city.
Watch out for: fellicity, felisity, felicety
Memory tip: Split it into feli + city. Picture a contented cat (a feline) purring in a busy city: feli plus city spells felicity.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The felicity on Dadi's face when her grandson walked in from Pune said more than any words.
Example 2: The poem was praised for the felicity of its language.
Example 3: Years of hard work were followed by a time of quiet felicity on the family farm.
Fun Fact
The Latin felix, meaning lucky or happy, gave English both felicity and felicitations, the word used in India for formal congratulations at a function.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of that word:
1. vigilent 2. anonimous 3. felicity 4. rehersal
a) keeping careful watch for danger
b) great happiness
c) with a name that is not known or not given
d) a practice performance before the real one
Show answer
b) great happiness. Rehersal is missing the a of hear, anonimous needs a y where the i is, and vigilent should end in -ant. Felicity is the one to pick.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of 'felicity' as it is used in the sentence:
The felicity of the wedding day was spoilt only by a sudden downpour in the evening.
a) delight
b) bliss
c) ceremony
d) misery
Show answer
d) misery. Felicity is great happiness, so misery is its opposite; bliss and delight are its partners.
Word Cookie
Fill in the blanks with the correct letters:
fel_c_ty
a) e, i
b) i, e
c) e, e
d) i, i
Show answer
d) i, i. Felicity has an i after the l and another after the c: fe-li-ci-ty.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these would most likely bring felicity?
a) meeting an old friend after many years
b) sitting through a long power cut
c) finding your umbrella broken in a storm
d) missing the last train home at night
Show answer
a) meeting an old friend after many years
2. A speaker known for the felicity of her words is one who ____.
a) forgets what to say
b) speaks very loudly
c) chooses words that fit perfectly
d) uses very long sentences
Show answer
c) chooses words that fit perfectly
