Definition of 'happy'
Word forms: comparative happier
, superlative happiest
1. adjective
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
A happy time, place, or relationship is full of happy feelings and pleasant experiences, or has an atmosphere in which people feel happy.
3. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE, ADJECTIVE that, ADJECTIVE to-infinitive]
If you are happy about a situation or arrangement, you are satisfied with it, for example because you think that something is being done in the right way.
4. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE, usually ADJECTIVE to-infinitive]
5. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Happy is used in greetings and other conventional expressions to say that you hope someone will enjoy a special occasion.
7. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
happy
Word Frequency
happy in British English
adjectiveWord forms: -pier or -piest
1.
3.
causing joy or gladness
exclamation
See also trigger-happyCollins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
happily (ˈhappily) adverb
happiness (ˈhappiness)
noun
Word origin
C14: see hap1, -y1Word Frequency
-happy in British English
combining form in adjective
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency
happy in American English
adjectiveWord forms: ˈhappier or ˈhappiest
SYNONYMY NOTE: happy generally suggests a feeling of great pleasure, contentment, etc. [a happy marriage]; glad1 implies more strongly an exultant feeling of joy [your letter made her so glad], but both glad1, happy are commonly used in merely polite formulas expressing gratification [I'm glad, or happy, to have met you]; cheerful implies a steady display of bright spirits, optimism, etc. [he's always cheerful in the morning]; joyful, joyous both imply great elation and rejoicing, the former generally because of a particular
event, and the latter as a matter of usual temperament [the joyful throngs, a joyous family]1.
favored by circumstances; lucky; fortunate
2.
4.
intoxicated, or irresponsibly quick to act, as if intoxicated
sometimes used in hyphenated compounds see also slap-happy, trigger-happy OPPOSITE: sad
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
happily (ˈhappily)
adverb
happiness (ˈhappiness)
noun
Word Frequency
happy in American English
(ˈhæpi)
adjectiveWord forms: -pier, -piest
2.
characterized by or indicative of pleasure, contentment, or joy
a happy mood
a happy frame of mind
4.
apt or felicitous, as actions, utterances, or ideas
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Examples of 'happy' in a sentence
happy
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
Quotations
Happy the man, and happy he alone
He who can call today his own;
He who, secure within, can say,
Tomorrow, do thy worst, for I have lived todayImitation of Horace
He who can call today his own;
He who, secure within, can say,
Tomorrow, do thy worst, for I have lived todayImitation of Horace
Happy men are grave. They carry their happiness cautiously, as they would a glass filled to the brim which the slightest movement could cause to spill over, or breakLes Diaboliques
More idioms containing
happy
Trends of
happy
View usage for:
In other languages
happy
British English: happy
/ˈhæpɪ/ ADJECTIVE
Someone who is happy has feelings of joy or contentment.
She was a confident, happy child.
- American English: happy /ˈhæpi/
- Arabic: سَعِيد
- Brazilian Portuguese: feliz
- Chinese: 快乐的
- Croatian: sretan
- Czech: šťastný spokojený
- Danish: glad
- Dutch: gelukkig
- European Spanish: feliz
- Finnish: onnellinen
- French: heureux
- German: glücklich
- Greek: ευτυχισμένος
- Italian: felice
- Japanese: 幸福な
- Korean: 행복한
- Norwegian: glad
- Polish: szczęśliwy
- European Portuguese: feliz
- Romanian: fericit
- Russian: счастливый
- Latin American Spanish: feliz
- Swedish: lycklig
- Thai: ซึ่งมีความสุข
- Turkish: mutlu
- Ukrainian: щасливий
- Vietnamese: hạnh phúc
Browse alphabetically
happy
Related terms of
happy
Source
Definition of happy from the Collins English Dictionary
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
complex plot or vegetable plot?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
vegetable plot
complex plot
The warm wet weather is working wonders on the .
field questions or raise questions?
Which version is correct?
cut the dividends or reap dividends?
Which version is correct?
civil action or swift action?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
swift action
civil action
Witnesses praised them for their .
long-term goal or winning goal?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
winning goal
long-term goal
I scored the with ten minutes to go.
Your score:
Word of the day
desertification
Desertification is the process by which a piece of land becomes dry , empty , and unsuitable for growing trees or crops on.
Latest Word Submissions
Bonfire or Guy Fawkes Night
On the night of 4 November 1605 Guy Fawkes, a Catholic, was discovered in an undercroft of the House of Lords guarding a hoard of gunpowder intended to explode the following day at the state opening of Parliament and thereby assassinate the Protestant King James I and annihilate the government.
Read more
COP26
With COP26 currently underway in Glasgow, we look at the large and constantly evolving lexicon of climate change.
Read more
Trick or treat? The eerie etymology behind popular Halloween words
Spooky season has arrived once more! Pumpkins are out in full force and this year, we decided to revisit some of our gruesome lexical offerings with a brand-new look into some of the most popular words and phrases associated with the scariest time of year.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
Join the Collins community
All the latest wordy news, linguistic insights, offers and competitions every month.
Read more
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
annual loss or sad loss?
Which version is correct?
negative view or ocean views?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
ocean views
negative view
There isn't a pool but the are wonderful.
criminal activity or economic activity?
Which version is correct?
faltering economy or industrial economies?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
faltering economy
industrial economies
Swift change could harm Britain's already .
civil action or swift action?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
civil action
swift action
You could pursue a for damages against her.
Your score: