happy

happy
happy (adj.) late 14c., "lucky, favored by fortune, prosperous;" of events, "turning out well," from HAP (Cf. hap) (n.) "chance, fortune" + -Y (Cf. -y) (2). Sense of "very glad" first recorded late 14c. Ousted O.E. eadig (from ead "wealth, riches") and gesælig, which has become SILLY (Cf. silly). Meaning "greatly pleased and content" is from 1520s. O.E. bliðe "happy" survives as BLITHE (Cf. blithe). From Greek to Irish, a great majority of the European words for "happy" at first meant "lucky." An exception is Welsh, where the word used first meant "wise."
Used in World War II and after as a suffix (e.g. bomb-happy, flak-happy) expressing "dazed or frazzled from stress." Happy medium is from 1778. Happy ending in the literary sense recorded from 1756. Happy as a clam (1630s) was originally happy as a clam in the mud at high tide, when it can't be dug up and eaten. Happy hunting ground, the reputed Indian paradise, is attested from 1840, American English. Related: Happier; happiest.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Happy — Hap py (h[a^]p p[y^]), a. [Compar. {Happier} ( p[i^]*[ e]r); superl. {Happiest}.] [From {Hap} chance.] 1. Favored by hap, luck, or fortune; lucky; fortunate; successful; prosperous; satisfying desire; as, a happy expedient; a happy effort; a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Happy 15 — Single par THE Possible extrait de l’album Kyūkyoku no The Possible Best Number Shō 1 Face A Happy 15 Face B Washoku Bijin Sortie 7 novembre 2007 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • -happy — UK [hæpi] US suffix used with some nouns to make adjectives meaning that someone is too willing to do or use something bad trigger happy (=too willing to shoot a gun) Thesaurus: suffixeshyponym * * * happy Used freely during and since the 1939–45 …   Useful english dictionary

  • happy — [hap′ē] adj. happier, happiest [ME happi < hap: see HAP1] 1. favored by circumstances; lucky; fortunate 2. having, showing, or causing a feeling of great pleasure, contentment, joy, etc.; joyous; glad; pleased 3. exactly appropriate to the… …   English World dictionary

  • Happy — (engl. glücklich, fröhlich) bezieht sich auf einen Ort in den USA, siehe Happy (Texas) einen Film von 1999, siehe Happy, Texas den US amerikanischer Politiker Albert Happy Chandler, siehe Albert Chandler eine schweizer Popmusikerin, siehe Heidi… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Happy TV — Happy ТВ Happy TV Création juin 2002 Langue Serbe Pays  Serbie Statut …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Happy? — Студийный альбом Public Image Ltd Дата выпуска 14 сентября 1987 Записан весна – лето 1987 The Manor Studio, Shipton on Cherwell Great Linford Manor Studios, Milton Keynes Жанр …   Википедия

  • happy — /ˈɛppi, ingl. ˈhæpɪ/ [vc. ingl., in ant. hap, dal norreno happe «buona sorte»] agg. inv. nelle loc. happy end, lieto fine □ happy hour , (in bar e sim.) ora dello sconto □ happy few (iron.), i pochi eletti, i privilegiati …   Sinonimi e Contrari. Terza edizione

  • Happy 7 — may refer to:* Happy Seven, anime series * Happy 7, Hello! Project shuffle units …   Wikipedia

  • Happy — Happy, TX U.S. town in Texas Population (2000): 647 Housing Units (2000): 295 Land area (2000): 1.065105 sq. miles (2.758608 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.065105 sq. miles (2.758608 sq. km)… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

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