happily

English

Etymology

From Middle English happily, happyly, happyliche, happylyche, equivalent to happy +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈhæp.ə.li/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈhæp.ə.li/

  • Audio (US)

    (file)

• Homophone: aptly (in some h-dropping accents)

Adverb

happily (comparative more happily or (rare) happilier, superlative most happily or (rare) happiliest)

1. In a happy or cheerful manner; with happiness.
   • 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, , London: W Taylor , →OCLC, page 311:

     And thus I have given the first part of a life of fortune and adventure, a life of Providence's chequer-work, and of a variety which the world will seldom be able to shew the like of: beginning foolishly, but closing much more happily than any part of it ever gave me leave so much as to hope for.

   • 2024 February 21, Nick Brodrick, “Inclusion and development for all”, in RAIL, number 1003, page 62:

     Train operating companies get plenty of column inches in the tabloids, usually for negative reasons. Happily, Southeastern is worthy of praise for having made The Sun for something positive.

2. By good chance; fortunately, successfully.
   • 1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Grove Press, published 1959, →OCLC:

     Watt wore, on his feet, a boot, brown in colour, and a shoe, happily of a brownish colour also.

3. With good will; in all happiness; willingly.

   Synonym: gladly

   I will happily help you look for your lost wallet.

4. (archaic) By chance; perhaps.

   Synonym: haply

   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 12, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes , book II, London: Val Simmes for Edward Blount , →OCLC:

     And who knoweth whether a thousand yeares hence a third opinion will rise, which happily shall overthrow these two precedents?

Derived terms

• happily ever after

Translations