happiness
nouncommon in dialogue
- //ˈhæpinɪs//
- //ˈhæpinəs//
The emotion of being happy; joy; elation.
noun
- 1
The emotion of being happy; joy; elation.
seek happiness
true happiness
bring happiness to others
Money can’t buy happiness.
- 2
archaicProsperity, thriving, wellbeing.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
- 3
archaicGood luck; good fortune.
All happineſſe bechance to thee in Millaine.
- 4
obsoleteFortuitous elegance; unstudied grace, used especially of language.
Some Beauties yet, no Precepts can declare, / For there's a Happineſs as well as Care.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kob-der. Proto-Germanic *hampą Old Norse happbor. Middle English hap Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y Middle English happy English happy Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English happiness From happy + -ness.
Forms
- plural
- happinesses
happiness · The emotion of being happy; joy; elation.
happy · Having a feeling arising from a consciousness of well-being…Happy · A male given name.harass · To annoy (someone) frequently or systematically; to pester.