laetĭtĭa, ae, f. [laetus], joy, esp. unrestrained joyfulness, gladness, pleasure, delight (cf.: gaudium, hilaritas).
I Lit.: laetitia opinio recens boni praesentis, in quo efferri rectum esse videatur, Cic. Tusc. 4, 7, 14: laetitia dicitur exsultatio quaedam animi gaudio efferventior eventu rerum expetitarum, Gell. 2, 27, 3: judicium plenum laetitiae, Cic. de Or. 1, 57, 243: percipere laetitiam ex re, id. ib. 1, 44, 197: prae laetitia lacrumae prosuliunt mihi, Plaut. Stich. 3, 2, 13: ut mea laetitia laetus promiscam siet, id. Ps. 4, 5, 11: totus in laetitiam effusus, wholly dissolved in pleasure , Just. 12, 13, 7: diem perpetuum in laetitia degere, to spend joyfully , Ter. Ad. 522: ne me in laetitiam frustra conicias, id. Heaut. 292: laetitiae dator, i. e. Bacchus , Verg. A. 1, 734: efferri laetitiā, to be transported with joy , Cic. Tusc. 4, 32, 68: exsultare, id. Att. 14, 6, 2: perfrui, id. Cat. 1, 10, 26: afficere aliquem, id. Mil. 28, 77: comitia me laetitiā extulerunt, have rejoiced me exceedingly , id. Fam. 2, 10, 1: laetitiam capere oculis, to enjoy , id. Att. 14, 14, 1: dare alicui, to give delight to , id. Planc. 42, 103: et altera traditur circensis turbae non minus similis veri laetitia, another outbreak of joy , Liv. 45, 1, 6: ut hanc laetitiam nec opinanti primus ei obicerem domi, this cause of joy , Ter. Heaut. 186; cf.: offerre laetitiam alicui, id. Hec. 816.—Esp. of success in love, Prop. 1, 10, 12; 2, 6, 32.— Plur. : quaero quoi ter trinas triplicis tribus demeritas artibus Dem laetitias, Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 14: incessi omnibus laetitiis laetus, Poët. ap. Cic. Fam. 2, 9, 2.—
II Transf., pleasing appearance, beauty, grace : membrorum, Stat. Th. 6, 571.— Luxuriance, fertility , of plants: trunci, Col. 4, 24, 12: pabuli, plenty, abundance , Just. 44, 4, 14.—Of a fruitful soil: loci, Col. 4, 21, 2.—Of speech, sweetness, grace : laetitia et pulcritudo orationis, Tac. Or. 20.