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liesse

jubilation

noun lyess Rare

Origin: Old French liece, from laetitia (joy)

Also means

rejoicing

Usage Note

Liesse is a literary and elevated word for collective public joy, often seen in phrases like en liesse ('in jubilation'), used to describe celebrating crowds. It rarely appears in everyday speech but is common in journalism covering national events.

Examples

"La foule était en liesse après la victoire."

Natural Translation

The crowd was jubilant after the victory.

Literal Translation

The crowd was in jubilation after the victory.

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