happiness

hap-pi-ness · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    The state of being happy; a feeling of pleasure, contentment, or joy.

  2. 2.

    The quality or state of being content or satisfied.

  3. 3.

    Good fortune; luck.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    pursuit of happiness — The quest for personal fulfillment (famously in the U.S. Declaration of Independence)
  • •
    domestic happiness — Contentment in family and home life
  • •
    bundle of happiness — A term of endearment, especially for a newborn baby

Related words

Antonyms: misery, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness
See also: bliss, contentment, happy, joy
Synonyms: bliss, contentment, delight, joy, pleasure

Etymology

From happy + -ness suffix. "Happy" derives from Old Norse happ ("luck, chance, fortune"). Originally, happiness referred to good fortune rather than emotional state.