noun
felicity
A pleasing aptness in expression or action.
Her toast shows a felicity of expression that delights the guests.
Etymology
Latin felicitas meant happiness or good fortune. The expression sense treats a notably apt choice of words or action as a happy, successful result.
More examples
- He handles the awkward introduction with surprising felicity.
- The essay's small felicities of phrasing reward a careful reading.
- She chooses each metaphor with felicity.
Forms
felicity · felicities
felicitous adjective — Pleasingly apt in expression or action.
Similar words
- aptness
- Emphasizes exact suitability without necessarily suggesting grace or charm.
- elegance
- Emphasizes graceful simplicity rather than suitability to a particular occasion.