'merriment' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'meryment,' where 'mery' meant 'pleasant' and '-ment' was a suffix indicating a state or condition.

'meryment' transformed into the modern English word 'merriment' through the influence of Old French 'merrie.'

Initially, it meant 'pleasantness or joy,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.