English Online Dictionary. What means happiness? What does happiness mean?
English
Alternative forms
- happinesse (obsolete)
- happyness (obsolete)
Etymology
From happy + -ness.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈhæpinɪs/, /ˈhæpinəs/
- Hyphenation: hap‧pi‧ness
Noun
happiness (countable and uncountable, plural happinesses)
- (uncountable) The emotion of being happy; joy.
- (archaic, uncountable) prosperity, thriving, wellbeing.
- (archaic, uncountable) Good luck; good fortune.
- (obsolete, countable) Fortuitous elegance; unstudied grace; — used especially of language.
Usage notes
Happiness is generic, and is applied to almost every kind of enjoyment.
Synonyms
- felicity (somewhat dated or formal)
- blessedness (dated or religious)
- bliss (more exalted delight, suggesting heaven)
- high spirits
- joy, joyfulness, joyousness
- pleasure
Antonyms
- unhappiness
- haplessness
- suffering
Derived terms
Translations
References
- “happiness”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
Further reading
- Happiness (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
- happiness on Wikipedia.Wikipedia