# bliss

/ˈbɫɪs/ (US) · /blˈɪs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bliss
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. perfect happiness

noun · CEFR B2

a state of complete and perfect happiness.

For teachers: a state of supreme happiness, often implying a sense of spiritual or transcendent joy.

- Lying on the beach with a good book was pure bliss.
- For the weary hikers, the sight of the valley below was a moment of absolute bliss after three days of rain.

Usage: Often used with the adjective 'pure' or 'sheer' to emphasize the intensity of the feeling.

### 2. to be extremely happy

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to reach a state of perfect happiness, often used with 'out'.

For teachers: to experience a state of ecstasy or intense happiness; frequently occurs as the phrasal verb 'bliss out'.

- I spent the whole afternoon blissing out to my favorite music.
- The yoga retreat provided a space where participants could truly bliss out and disconnect from their digital lives.

Usage: Usually intransitive and most common in the form 'bliss out'.

### 3. programming language

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a specific computer programming language used for building systems.

For teachers: a systems programming language developed at Carnegie Mellon University, notable for being expression-oriented rather than statement-oriented.

- The old operating system was written in Bliss rather than C.
- While modern developers prefer C or Rust, Bliss remains a significant part of the history of systems programming on DEC hardware.

Teaching tip: This is a highly specialized technical term; learners will likely only encounter it in historical computing contexts.

## Examples

- Lying on the beach in the sun was pure bliss.
- After a long week of stressful deadlines, the silence of the countryside was absolute bliss.
- The poet describes a state of eternal bliss, where the soul is finally unburdened by the trivialities of mortal existence.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.