happily ever after en · ADV
Pronunciation
- /ˈhæpəli ˌɛvəɹ‿ˈæftəɹ/ (General-American)
- /ˈhæpɪli ˌɛvəɹ‿ˈɑːftə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Australia) audio
- /-ˈæf-/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
The adverb is derived from happily (adverb) + ever after (adverb), used as a formulaic ending in works for children especially since the 19th century. The noun is derived from the adverb.
Meanings
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(idiomatic, not-comparable) Chiefly preceded by he, she, they, etc., lived: often used as a formulaic ending in fairy tales, stories for children, and similar works: in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives.
I might find somewhere where I can finish my book. I have thought of a nice ending for it: and he lived happily ever after to the end of his days.
1954 July 29, J[ohn] R[onald] R[euel] Tolkien, “A Long-expected party”, in The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings, New York, N.Y.: Ballantine Books, published September 1973, →ISBN, page 58:After Pygmalion came back to consciousness, he proposed to his perfect woman. They got married, had a few kids, and lived happily ever after. The weird thing, though? The stories don't even tell us what the ivory girl's name was.
2014 August 19, Rick Riordan, “You Gotta Love Aphrodite”, in Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods, New York, N.Y.: Disney Hyperion Books, →ISBN, page 206:And they lived happily ever after.
[E]xcept in our dreamiest moods, we scornfully reject the slightest hint of witchery, and yet find no difficulty in believing that the hero and heroine of the last new novel "married and lived happily ever after" the conclusion of the third volume, without the help of any fairy godmother.
1881 April, Charles Grant, “The Fairyland of [William] Shakespeare”, in Sylvanus Urban [pseudonym], editor, The Gentleman’s Magazine, volume CCL, London: Chatto & Windus, […], →OCLC, page 427:
Deriveds
Translations (46)
bn এবং তারা পরে সুখে বসবাস করে (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · ga agus bhí siad go léir ina gcónaí go sona sásta riamh (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · sh и живели су срећно до краја живота (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · ja めでたしめでたし (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · fr ils vécurent heureux et eurent beaucoup d’enfants (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · de und wenn sie nicht gestorben sind, dann leben sie noch heute (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · ur اس کے بعد وہ خوشی خوشی رہنے لگے (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · no og er de ikke døde, så lever de ennå (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · hu és boldogan éltek, míg meg nem haltak (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · es felices y comieron perdices (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · ca i van viure feliços i van menjar anissos (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · cy ac roeddent i gyd yn byw'n hapus byth wedyn (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · sl in živeli so srečno do konca svojih dni (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · lv un viņi dzīvoja ilgi un laimīgi (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · cs a žili šťastně až do smrti (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · no og så levde de lykkelig alle sine dager (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · hi उसके बाद वे ख़ुशी ख़ुशी रहने लगे (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · sh и живјели су дуго и сретно (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · pl i żyli długo i szczęśliwie (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · es felices por siempre jamás (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · sh i živeli su srećno do kraja života (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · ar وَعَاشُوا عِيشَة سَعِيدَة (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · fi onnellisina elämänsä loppuun asti (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · es felices el resto de sus días (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · is og þau lifðu vel og lengi (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · gu અને તેઓ બધા પછી સુખી રહેતા હતા (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · sh i živjeli su dugo i sretno (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · es feliz para siempre (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · is Og þau lifðu hamingjusöm til æviloka (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · es y colorín colorado, este cuento se ha acabado (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · el κι έζησαν αυτοί καλά κι εμείς καλύτερα (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · ko 그들은 행복하게 오래 오래 살았답니다 (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · nl en ze leefden nog lang en gelukkig (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · fi onnellisena elämänsä loppuun asti (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · ta அவர்கள் மகிழ்ச்சியுடன் வாழ்ந்தார்கள் (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · pt felizes para sempre (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · da og de levede lykkeligt til deres dages ende (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · tr ve sonsuza kadar mutlu yaşadılar (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · de und sie lebten glücklich bis ans Ende ihrer Tage (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · ru и жили они́ до́лго и счастливо (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · lt ir jie gyveno ilgai ir laimingai (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · it e vissero per sempre felici e contenti (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · et ja kui nad surnud pole, siis elavad nad õnnelikult tänase päevani (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · sv och så levde de lyckliga i alla sina dagar (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · he בְּאוֹשֶׁר וָעוֹשֶׁר עַד עֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives) · tr ve hayatlarının sonuna kadar mutlu yaşadılar (in a state of happiness for the rest of his, her, their, etc., lives)