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happy — feeling or showing pleasure or contentment

Part of speech: ADJECTIVE

Definition: feeling or showing pleasure or contentment

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈhæpi/

Example Sentences

  • I'm happy as a clam at high tide!
  • Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy ice cream, which is pretty close.
  • She was happy to help her friend.

happy

ADJECTIVE

[/ˈhæpi/]

feeling or showing pleasure or contentment

She feels happy holding her puppy after a long day at work.
💡 Concept

She feels happy holding her puppy after a long day at work.

HAP (good fortune) + Y (full of) — by finding an unexpected HAP (stroke of luck) in the grass, the clover hunter was completely happy.
🧠 Mnemonic

HAP (good fortune) + Y (full of) — by finding an unexpected HAP (stroke of luck) in the grass, the clover hunter was completely happy.

Clicking his fingers in a snappy rhythm and greeting each friendly chappy, the boy felt completely happy at the park picnic.
🎵 Rhyme

Clicking his fingers in a snappy rhythm and greeting each friendly chappy, the boy felt completely happy at the park picnic.

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈhæpi/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈhæpi/

🌳Etymology

Roothap
Suffix--y

Origin

Happy derives from Middle English happi, formed from the noun hap meaning 'chance' or 'fortune'. Originally denoting something favored by luck, the word evolved semantically over time to express the emotional state of joy and contentment rather than mere fortunate circumstance.

Breakdown

hap (chance, fortune) + -y (adjective suffix forming qualitative adjectives)

🎵Rhyme

nappy
sappy
snappy

🔗Collocations

happy birthday
happy ending
happy face
feel happy
make someone happy
happy marriage
happy memory

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“I'm happy as a clam at high tide!”

😄 Fun example

“Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy ice cream, which is pretty close.”

“She was happy to help her friend.”

“The happy couple celebrated their anniversary.”

📚Related Words

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