happen
/ˈhæpən/
Word Rarity
Common
Frequency: 5.19 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "Let me tell you how it happened."
- "Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic who still resists the idea that something drastic needs to happen for him to turn his life around."
- "'By my soul! I believe something bad has happened me,' he muttered, and popped up his window, and looked out, half dreaming over the church-yard on the park beyond […]"
- "Take an umbrella in case it happens to rain."
- "Do you happen to have an umbrella?"
- "If you should (happen to) need any help, I'll be there."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kob-der. Proto-Germanic *hampą Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Germanic *-janą Proto-Germanic *hampijanąder. Old Norse *happader.? ▲ Proto-Germanic *hampijanąder. Old Norse *heppader.? Old English hæppander.? Middle English happen Proto-Indo-European *-o- Proto-Indo-European *-nom Proto-Indo-European *-onom Proto-Germanic *-aną Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Germanic *-janą Old English -an Middle English -en Middle English happenen English happen From Middle English happenen, hapnen, augmented from Middle English happen (“to come to pass, happen”), perhaps from Old English hæppan (“to move accidentally, slip”) and/or from Old Norse *happa, *heppa, from Proto-Germanic *hampijaną (“to fit in, be fitting”). Equivalent to hap (“a chance, occurrence, byfall”) + -en (verbal suffix).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: happenen, happen, hæppan, *happa, *hampijaną