happiness
noun
- mental or emotional state of well-being characterized by pleasant emotions
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈhæpinɪs/ / /ˈhæpinəs/
noun
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.
- The emotion of being happy; joy; elation.
“seek happiness”
“true happiness”
- Prosperity, 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.”
- Good luck; good fortune.
“All happineſſe bechance to thee in Millaine.”
- Fortuitous elegance; unstudied grace, used especially of language.
“Some Beauties yet, no Precepts can declare, / For there's a Happineſs as well as Care.”