happy
hap·py/ˈhæpi/adjective, noun, verb
happy is spelled H-A-P-P-Y: 5 letters and 2 syllables (hap·py). It appears 224 times per million words in written English, the 447th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data, counting Happy, the name). As an adjective, happy means “Having a feeling arising from a consciousness of well-being or of enjoyment; enjoying good of any kind, such as comfort, peace, or tranquillity…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in happy?
| Letters | 5: H-A-P-P-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: hap·py |
| In writing | 224 times per million words; the 447th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is happy?
Happy appears 224 times per million words in written English, the 447th most frequent word form in the list. The list counts every capitalisation together, so this includes Happy, the name.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce happy?
- US /ˈhæpi/
- British /ˈhapɪj/
- /ˈhape/
Happy has 2 syllables, split hap·py in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-uk-happy.ogg, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Naomi_Persephone_Amethyst_(NaomiAmethyst)-happy.wav, En-us-happy.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with happy?
3 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as happy from its last stressed vowel (/æpi/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of happy
- happier comparative
- more happy comparative
- happiest superlative
- most happy superlative
- happies plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- happying participle, present
- happied participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does happy mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Having a feeling arising from a consciousness of well-being or of enjoyment; enjoying good of any kind, such as comfort, peace, or tranquillity; blissful, contented, joyous.
Music makes me feel happy.
- 2
Experiencing the effect of favourable fortune; favored by fortune or luck; fortunate, lucky.
- 3
archaicElect or saved after death, blessed.
- 4
Content, willing, satisfied (with or to do something); having no objection (to something).
Are you happy to pay me back by the end of the week?
- 5
Bringing or being an instance of favourable fortune; apt, felicitous, fortunate, propitious.
happy coincidence
- 6
Favoring or inclined to use.
slaphappy, trigger-happy
- 7
rareDexterous, ready, skilful.
- 8
Implying “May you have a happy ⁓” or similar; used in phrases to wish someone happiness or good fortune at the time of a festival, celebration, or other event or activity.
Happy birthday!
verb
- 1
informalOften followed by up: to become happy; to brighten up, to cheer up.
- 2
informalOften followed by up: to make happy; to brighten, to cheer, to enliven.
noun
- 1
informalrareA happy event, thing, person, etc.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Happy in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | heureux, heureuse, content, contente, bienheureux, bienheureuse |
| German | zufrieden, fröhlich, froh, freudig , glücklich |
| Portuguese | feliz , contente |
| Spanish | feliz, alegre, alacre , afortunado |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does happy come from?
From Middle English happy (“fortunate, happy”), perhaps an alteration of Middle English happyn, happen (“fortunate, happy”), possibly related to or from Old Norse heppinn (“fortunate, happy”); and potentially assimilated to be equivalent to hap (“chance, luck, fortune”) + -y.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).