word
German
Schadenfreude
/ˈʃɑːdənfrɔɪdə/
lit. “harm-joy”
Pleasure derived from someone else's misfortune.
Origin
A compound of Schaden (damage) and Freude (joy). Used in German since at least the 17th century. English borrowed it precisely because no native word captures the feeling so compactly.
Modern usage
Indispensable in the age of celebrity downfalls, viral fails, and rival-company stumbles. Often confessed with a wince.
In the wild
I'll admit a flicker of schadenfreude when the rival product launched broken.— common usage
Tags
emotion
morality