Etimology
From Middle English happy (“fortunate, happy”), perhaps an alteration of Middle English happyn, happen (“fortunate, happy”), possibly related to or from Old Norse heppinn (“fortunate, happy”); and potentially assimilated to be equivalent to hap (“chance, luck, fortune”) + -y. Compare also Icelandic heppinn (“lucky”), Norwegian Nynorsk heppen (“lucky”), Scots happin (“fortunate, blessed”). See further at hap.
adjective
happy (comparative happier or more happy, superlative happiest or most happy)
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, willing, 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, of people, often followed by "at" or "in") Dexterous, ready, skilful.
Implying 'May you have a happy ~' or similar; used in phrases to wish someone happiness or good fortune at the time of a festival, celebration, or other event or activity.
Examples
Music makes me feel happy.
I may truely heere ſay vnto you, your ſelues alſo being witneſſe, and ſay it to the immortell praiſe of Gods name, to the honour of our Soueraigne, and to the ioy and comfort of all his people, that in this happineſſe, this reknowned Kingdome, among all, and aboue all Nations of the earth is bleſſed this day. Happie O King are thy people, and happie are thy Subiects or Seruants.
Happy is that people that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.
[…] For the most happy universe is not one that consists of the greatest possible number of the most happy beings only; but one that consists of that, and the greatest possible number of beings next inferior to the first rank, and so downward, till we come to those that approach the nearest to insensible matter.
Whate'er the Paſſion, Knowledge, Fame, or Pelf, / Not one will change his Neighbour with himſelf. / The Learn'd are happy, Nature to explore; / The Fool is happy, that he knows no more; / The Rich are happy in the plenty given; / The Poor contents him with the Care of Heaven.
[S]ince the happy are sufficient to themselves they have no need of friends; and hence it is said, "When Fortune's goods abound, what boots a friend?" Thus then it appears that the happy do not require friends.
While they are in this state striving perhaps to render their fellow beings more happy, of whatever sect or denomination they may be, they meet with one or more persons who undertake to convert their mere cold belief in religious doctrines—which is at best little better than mere morality—into real effective religion, a religion that will move the tongue.
A happy birthday to you, / A happy birthday to you, / A happy birthday, dear Roy, / A happy birthday to you.Note: This is the first occurrence in print of the lyrics of the song “Happy Birthday to You”.
Note: This is the first occurrence in print of the lyrics of the song “Happy Birthday to You”.
In different ways, therefore, for many pupils, whether they benefit greatly from the system, or just 'get by', or are 'bored stiff' by the lessons, or for the most part are completely rebellious, schooldays do often appear to be 'the happiest days'.
Because I'm happy / Clap along if you know what happiness is to you / Because I'm happy / Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do
People who believe that a better life awaits us after this one would appear to have secured a happier ending, even before they come close to the end. There is little to be afraid of if you're armed with the promise of a wonderful future. Death is only a portal to greater joy.
[…] I think I may presume that what I have hitherto Diſcourſed will induce you to think, that Chymists have been much more happy in finding Experiments than the Cauſes of them; or in aſſigning the Principles by which they may beſt be explain'd.
The UK’s earliest reactors – a type called Magnox – were set up to harvest plutonium for bombs; the electricity was a happy byproduct.
How fares it with the happy dead?
Are you happy to pay me back by the end of the week?
Yes, I am happy with the decision.
A Christian may be happier in low circumstances, than in high ones. He may be happier without rich friends, than with them. He may be happier in loneliness, than in a crowd of flatterers. He may be happier under reproach, than when riding on the spring-tide of popularity. He may be happier with hard work, than in a life of ease. He may be happier with coarse and scanty food, than with tables of luxury. He may be happier in sickness and persecution, than in health and quietness.
A strong acid is also a substance whose conjugate base is quite happy with the excess electrons it got from that bond.
This wave of "financial innovation" led to rapid growth in subprime lending, which was enhanced on the demand side by the housing boom and general asset price bubble. While the party lasted everyone was happy. Mortgage lenders were happy to lend and keep subprime loans off their books via securitization. Issuers of ABSs were happy to get their commissions. Borrowers were happy to get loans without scrutiny. Investors were happy to acquire assets that were "risk-free" and offered a return of hundreds of basis points over that offered by US Treasuries.
a happy coincidence
The common privilege of your ſex affords you the happy opportunity of alleviating your ſorrows by communicating your ſentiments and feelings to some faithful friend; but to women, even this relief is rigidly denied, and, bound by the harſh reſtraints which the delicacy and reſerve of female natures have impoſed, I muſt bear the ſecret of my ſorrows with painful ſilence.
You would, even by this most favourable result, be at best only replaced in the situation, and restored to the happy opportunity which you at present possess: […]
"Historians, you think," said Miss Tilney, "are not happy in their flights of fancy. They display imagination without raising interest. […]"
When happy events coincide, that is a happy coincidence. But the coincidence of baneful events is a happy coincidence too.
‘I had the happy notion of adding an egg,’ Williams shouted back. ‘It poaches in the soup. Not unlike an Italian stracciatella. Singularly toothsome...’
slaphappy, trigger-happy
We live in a sue-happy society. If Santa slides off your roof and busts his tailbone, he could sue you, and probably will.
“Baby, I was a loser / Several years on the dole / An Englishman with a very high voice / Doing rock ’n’ roll,” sings falsetto-happy frontman Justin Hawkins at the start of “Every Inch Of You,” Hot Cakes’ opener.
[I] could not without much grief obſerve how frequently both gentlemen and ladies are at a loſs for queſtions, anſwers, replies, and rejoinders. However, my concern was much abated, when I found that theſe defects were not occaſioned by any want of materials, but becauſe thoſe materials were not in every hand. For inſtance, one lady can give an anſwer better than aſk a queſtion: one gentleman is happy at a reply; another excels in a rejoinder: one can revive a languiſhing converſation by a ſudden ſurpriſing ſentence; another is more dextrous in ſeconding; a third can fill the gap with laughing, or commending what has been ſaid. Thus freſh hints may be ſtarted, and the ball of the diſcourſe kept up.
Happy birthday!, Happy Fourth of July!, Happy anniversary!, Happy job-hunting!
Related words
synonyms
(contented, joyous): cheerful, content, delighted, elated, exultant, glad, joyful, jubilant, merry
(fortunate, lucky): fortunate, lucky, propitious
See also Thesaurus:happy
antonyms
(antonym(s) of "contented, joyous"): blue, depressed, down, miserable, moody, morose, sad, unhappy
(antonym(s) of "fortunate, lucky"): unfortunate, unlucky, unpropitious
(antonym(s) of "content, satisfied"): disenchanted, dissatisfied
(antonym(s) of "appropriate, apt"): inappropriate, inapt, unfelicitous
noun
happy (plural happies)
(informal, rare) A happy event, thing, person, etc.
Examples
The strike split the Chicano community. Many workers at Farah crossed picket lines and continued to keep the plant operating. They were known as the "happies" because they wore buttons which featured a smiling face and the slogan, "I'm happy at Farah. …"
verb
happy (third-person singular simple present happies, present participle happying, simple past and past participle happied)
(intransitive, informal) Often followed by up: to become happy; to brighten up, to cheer up.
(transitive, informal) Often followed by up: to make happy; to brighten, to cheer, to enliven.
Examples
Whenever I started drinking again after abstaining for any period of time, it usually was an effort to relieve stress and to "happy up."
[H]e smiled […] then asked my name. He checked it against his clipboard then sadly shook his head as if he'd been rejected himself. Told him I was looking for employment and he happied up again, able to help by directing me to apply at the front office, that the doors were on the Gower Street side.
People really didn't want their Party Motivators in their photos, anonymous dancers, happying up the place. It spooked them.
[…] [William] Glasser would probably say that happy people are "happying" themselves by choosing behaviors that help them to feel happy .
Related words
synonyms
(to make happy): happify