gladder

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡlædə(ɹ)/

  • Audio (Southern England):

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Etymology 1

From Middle English gladere, from Old English glædra (adj), glador (adverb), comparative of glæd (“glad, shining, bright”). More at glad.

Adjective

gladder

1. comparative form of glad: more glad

Etymology 2

From gladder (“one who makes glad”), or perhaps from Middle English *gladderen, from Old English *gladrian (“to make glad”), equivalent to glad +‎ -er (fequentative suffix).

Verb

gladder (third-person singular simple present gladders, present participle gladdering, simple past and past participle gladdered)

1. (nonstandard, proscribed, rare) Alternative form of gladden
   • 1909, Country Correspondence, Political Department, 1800-[1804]:

     Under the auspicious influence of the Company's just and equitable administration, the face of this province is gladdered ^[sic]—the blossoms of Peace are blowing and the blessings of tranquility increasing daily [...]

   • 2006, Pūrana Siṅgha, Sāhitya Akādemī, The knock at midnight:

     The light of snow has gladdered the heart [...]

Middle English

Alternative forms

• glader

Etymology

From Old English *gladere (“gladder”), from gladian (“to make glad”).

Noun

gladder (plural gladders)

1. One who makes glad or gives joy.
   • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Knight's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 2223-2224:

     [...] Thou glader of the mount of Citheroun,
     For thilke love thou haddest to Adoun, [...]

     [...] Thou maker of joy of the mount of Citheron,
     For that same love thou haddest to Adonis, [...]

References

• “gladder”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.