Dictionary

happily en · ADV

Pronunciation

• (General-American) audio
• /ˈhæp.ə.li/ (General-American)
• /ˈhæp.ɪ.li/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. In a happy or cheerful manner; with happiness.
   • 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. 2024 February 21, Nick Brodrick, “Inclusion and development for all”, in RAIL, number 1003, page 62:
   • This time next month I’ll be happily fishing at the beach.
   • 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. 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 311:
2. By good chance; fortunately, successfully.
   • Watt wore, on his feet, a boot, brown in colour, and a shoe, happily of a brownish colour also. 1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, [Paris]: Olympia Press, →OCLC:
3. With good will; in all happiness; willingly.
   • I will happily help you look for your lost wallet.
4. (archaic) By chance; perhaps.
   • And who knoweth whether a thousand yeares hence a third opinion will rise, which happily shall overthrow these two precedents? 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 12, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:

Forms

Antonyms

sadly

Deriveds

hoppily · unhappily · happily ever after

Relateds

happiness · happy · gladden

Synonyms

haply · merrily · joyously · joyfully · genially · cheerly · mirthfully · gayly · gaily · cheerfully · lightheartedly · chearfully · joyously · gladly · blessedly · happily · bubblingly · eudaemonically · gladly · eupeptically · cheerily · cheerfully

Translations (97)

cs se štěstím (by good chance, fortunately) · nrf heûtheusement (by good chance, fortunately) · uk щасли́во (in a happy manner) · eo ĝoje (in a happy manner) · uk ра́до (willingly) · ca feliçment (in a happy manner) · cs ochotně (willingly) · ru охо́тно (willingly) · fr gaiement (in a happy manner) · la grate (willingly) · bg с удоволствие (willingly) · ru с ра́достью (willingly) · eo feliĉe (by good chance, fortunately) · sv gladeligen (willingly) · bg за щастие (by good chance, fortunately) · hi प्रसन्नतापूर्वक (in a happy manner) · got 𐌲𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌾𐌰𐌱𐌰 (in a happy manner) · et õnneks (by good chance, fortunately) · pt felizmente (in a happy manner) · de gerne (willingly) · it felicemente (in a happy manner) · sa स्वस्ति (by good chance, fortunately) · ckb بەخۆشی (in a happy manner) · hu boldogan (in a happy manner) · es dichosamente (in a happy manner) · cmn 幸运地 /幸运 (by good chance, fortunately) · es felizmente (in a happy manner) · ar بِسَعَادَة (in a happy manner) · sh са задовљством (willingly) · pl szczęśliwie (in a happy manner) · ang ġesǣliġlīċe (by good chance, fortunately) · sk šťastne (in a happy manner) · ru счастли́во (in a happy manner) · cs blaze (in a happy manner) · uk з ра́дістю (willingly) · hu örömmel (in a happy manner) · cs šťastně (in a happy manner) · et hea meelega (willingly) · uk на ща́стя (by good chance, fortunately) · de fröhlich (in a happy manner) · de bereitwillig (willingly) · pt felizmente (by good chance, fortunately) · et õnnelikult (in a happy manner) · ca afortunadament (by good chance, fortunately) · es a solaz (willingly) · fi halukkaasti (willingly) · ca alegrement (in a happy manner) · fr heureusement (by good chance, fortunately) · sv glatt (in a happy manner) · bg щастливо (in a happy manner) · hi प्रसन्नतापूर्वक (willingly) · es de buena gana (willingly) · fr par bonheur (by good chance, fortunately) · it volentieri (willingly) · de glücklicherweise (by good chance, fortunately) · es gustosamente (willingly) · la feliciter (by good chance, fortunately) · ja 快く (willingly) · ja 運良く (by good chance, fortunately) · fr volontiers (willingly) · la prolixe (willingly) · uk із задово́ленням (willingly) · pt de bom grado (willingly) · sh радо (in a happy manner) · de glücklicherweise (in a happy manner) · fr joyeusement (in a happy manner) · fi onnellisesti (in a happy manner) · sk rada (willingly) · la propense (willingly) · my ပျော်ပျော် (in a happy manner) · ru сча́стливо (in a happy manner) · sh sretno (in a happy manner) · pl szczęśliwie (by good chance, fortunately) · la libenter (willingly) · fi onneksi (by good chance, fortunately) · es alegremente (in a happy manner) · ru с удово́льствием (willingly) · la sponte (willingly) · cmn 快樂地 /快乐地 (in a happy manner) · ca feliçment (by good chance, fortunately) · hi ख़ुशी से (in a happy manner) · hu szerencsére (by good chance, fortunately) · sh с радошћу (willingly) · ja 楽しく (in a happy manner) · hu szívesen (willingly) · sk rád (willingly) · de glücklich (in a happy manner) · cmn 欣然地 (willingly) · la laetē (in a happy manner) · hi सुखपूर्वक (in a happy manner) · pt alegremente (in a happy manner) · es afortunadamente (by good chance, fortunately) · ru к сча́стью (by good chance, fortunately) · et rõõmuga (willingly) · it fortunatamente (by good chance, fortunately) · te సుఖముగా (in a happy manner) · eo volonte (willingly)