Glee is a feeling of lively, bubbling joy that's hard to contain. When you feel glee, you might laugh out loud, clap your hands, or jump around because the happiness is just spilling out of you. It's more intense and playful than simple happiness: glee has an almost mischievous sparkle to it.

You might feel glee when you discover snow has cancelled school, when you solve a puzzle that's been stumping you for days, or when your team scores the winning goal in the final seconds. A younger sibling might squeal with glee when opening birthday presents. Sometimes people feel glee at someone else's misfortune (called schadenfreude), though that's not the kindest way to respond.

The word suggests unrestrained delight, the kind that makes your eyes light up and your voice rise. Gleeful describes someone experiencing this feeling. If you watch a puppy playing with a new toy, tail wagging frantically, that's basically glee in action: pure, uncomplicated, overflowing joy that won't be held back.