delectation

Attested from the mid 14th century, from Old French delectation (“enjoyment”), from Latin dēlectātiōnem, accusative singular of dēlectātiō, from the verb Latin dēlectō (“I delight, charm, please”), frequentative of dēliciō, from de- (“away”) + laciō (“I lure, I deceive”), from Proto-Italic *lakjō (“to draw, pull”), of unknown ultimate origin. By surface analysis, delect +‎ -ation or delectate +‎ -ion. Related to delight and delicious.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌdiːlɛkˈteɪʃən/, /ˌdɪlɛkˈteɪʃən/

• Audio (Southern England):

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  Rhymes: -eɪʃən

delectation (countable and uncountable, plural delectations)

1. Great pleasure; delight.

   Synonym: delection

   • 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 22, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:

     Do not let us men despise these instincts because we cannot feel them. These women were made for our comfort and delectation, gentlemen,—with all the rest of the minor animals.

• morose delectation