happy

 
Pronunciation: /ˈhapi/

adjective (happier, happiest)

  • 1feeling or showing pleasure or contentment: Melissa came in looking happy and excited [with clause]: we’re just happy that he’s still alive [with infinitive]: they are happy to see me doing well
  • (happy about) having a sense of trust and confidence in (a person, arrangement, or situation): he was not happy about the proposals
  • (happy with) satisfied with the quality or standard of: I’m happy with his performance
  • [with infinitive] willing to do something: we will be happy to advise you
  • [attributive] used in greetings: happy Christmas
  • 2 [attributive] fortunate and convenient: he had the happy knack of making people like him
  • 3 [in combination] informal inclined to use a specified thing excessively or at random: they tended to be grenade-happy

Phrases

(as) happy as a sandboy (or British Larry or North American a clam or vulgar slang a pig in shit)

extremely happy.

happy hunting ground

a place where success or enjoyment is obtained: this should prove a happy hunting ground for those in search of a bargain
[originally referring to the optimistic hope of American Indians for good hunting grounds in the afterlife]

Origin:

Middle English (in the sense 'lucky'): from the noun hap + -y1

Spelling rule

If an adjective ends in a consonant plus y, change the y to i when adding -er or -est: (happier, happiest).