Joy
Etymology
From Old French "joie," from Latin "gaudia," the plural of "gaudium" (“joy”), from "gaudere," “to rejoice, take delight.” The same root surfaces in "gaudy" (originally “full of joy,” later “showy”) and in "rejoice." Latin used the plural "gaudia" for joys as discrete bursts — fitting, since joy tends to arrive in moments, not stretches.
noun · /JOY/
An intense, often sudden feeling of great happiness and delight.
What it names
Reach for it for the bright spike — happiness at full volume, usually brief and not dependent on circumstances lining up.
Example
Pure joy broke across the runner’s face as she crossed the finish line.
Related idea
Against happiness and contentment: happiness is a broad, sometimes evaluative state (“I’m happy with my life”); contentment is calm and steady; joy is a peak — sharper, briefer, and less controllable. You can build a happy life deliberately, but joy tends to surprise you rather than obey a plan.