noun. Malicious enjoyment of the misfortunes of others.
German from schaden: harm; and freude: joy [Oxford English Dictionary]
1852 R. C. TRENCH Study of Words (ed. 3) II. 29 What a fearful thing is it that any language should have a word expressive of the pleasure which men feel at the calamities of others; for the existence of the word bears testimony to the existence of the thing.
1867 CARLYLE Shooting Niagara III. 12 Have not I a kind of secret satisfaction, of the malicious or even of the judiciary kind (schadenfreude, 'mischief-joy', the Germans call it, but really it is justice-joy-withal)]
1920 F. HAMILTON Days before Yesterday iv. 118 The particular sentiment described in German as 'schadenfreude' 'pleasure over another's troubles' (how characteristic it is that there should be no equivalent in any other language for this peculiarly Teutonic emotion!) makes but little appeal to the average Briton except where questions of age and of failing powers come into play.
Man oh man, where would we be without the German language?
PS: Listen to bizzaro prounciation of schadenfreude (11kb .wav file)
