happy

English

/ˈhæpiː/, /ˈhæpi/

adj
Definitions
  • Having a feeling arising from a consciousness of well-being or of enjoyment; enjoying good of any kind, such as comfort, peace, or tranquillity; blissful, contented, joyous.
  • Experiencing the effect of favourable fortune; favored by fortune or luck; fortunate, lucky, propitious.
  • Content, satisfied (with or to do something); having no objection (to something).
  • (Of acts, speech, etc.) Appropriate, apt, felicitous.
  • (in combination) Favoring or inclined to use.
  • (rare) Dexterous, ready, skilful.

Etymology

Derived from Middle English happy (fortunate, happy), happyn derived from Old Norse heppinn (happy, fortunate) suf from English hap (luck, chance, occurrence, byfall, fortune, event, a chance, coincidence).

Origin

English

hap

Gloss

luck, chance, occurrence, byfall, fortune, event, a chance, coincidence

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms