gladder

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡlædə(ɹ)/

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From Middle English gladere, from Old English glædra (adjective), glador (adverb), comparative of glæd (“glad, shining, bright”). More at glad.

gladder

1. comparative form of glad: more glad

From gladder (“one who makes glad”), or perhaps from Middle English *gladderen, from Old English *gladrian (“to make glad”), equivalent to glad +‎ -er (fequentative suffix).

gladder (third-person singular simple present gladders, present participle gladdering, simple past and past participle gladdered)

1. (nonstandard, proscribed, rare) Alternative form of gladden.
   • 1909, Country Correspondence, Political Department, 1800-:

     Under the auspicious influence of the Company's just and equitable administration, the face of this province is gladdered —the blossoms of Peace are blowing and the blessings of tranquility increasing daily

   • 2006, Pūrana Siṅgha, Sāhitya Akādemī, The knock at midnight:

     The light of snow has gladdered the heart

• glader

From Old English *gladere (“gladder”), from gladian (“to make glad”).

gladder (plural gladders)

1. One who makes glad or gives joy.
   • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Knight's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 2223-2224:

     Thou glader of the mount of Citheroun,
     For thilke love thou haddest to Adoun,

     Thou maker of joy of the mount of Citheron,
     For that same love thou haddest to Adonis,

• “gladder”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.