I regularly read a periodical written in the US which makes frequent use of the word "happifying" meaning, apparently, something which makes one happy or generates a sense of happiness. I loathe the word, and can't seem to find it anywhere, and wondered if it was a very recent US neologism, or just an idiosyncratic aberration on the part of this particular periodical's editors. I have done a search for the word in AWADtalk archives and came up empty, so hoefuly I won't be YARTed on this one either.

Yuk!

double yuk! torch their headquarters ;0)

max, I think you made this one up just to be original!!

I don't think our Max needs any outside help in being
original! That sounds to me quite typical of an
American trying (and failing!) to be "cute".

RIGHT ON! sez lusy in a very heartfelt way

How have yez orl been, in me absence enyway?

Good ter be bak at larst,

lusydog

In reply to:

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a periodical written in the US which makes frequent use of the word "happifying"

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I think this periodical should be named and shamed. We could deluge them with letters from unhappified logophiles until they promise never to do it again.

Bingley

max, I think you made this one up just to be original!!

Would that it were so! Here is one exmple of the abomination in use:
"An effort is made to reach people on buses and those who come to the cities to do business or to shop. This has led to happifying results."

gadzooks!! it's an inflection of an OLD word -- would that this one had withered on the vine. (see 1955 citation)

happify - to make happy (Now U.S.)

1612 Sylvester. This Prince...One short Mis-hap for ever Happifies. 1656 S. H. Gold. It will surely conduce to prolong your days, besides happyfying them. 1786 I. Perkins Poems in H. R. Stiles Bundling To happyfy his life. 1837–40 Haliburton Clockm. (1862) 79 If that don't happify your heart, then my name's not Sam Slick. 1875 M. B. Eddy Science & Health vi. 315 To happify existence by constant intercourse with those adapted to elevate it is the true motive for marriage. 1892 Spectator 9 Apr. 497/1 Finding infants whom she could wash and dress and happify among the alleys and courts of the East-End. 1905 Daily Chron. 13 July 4/4 Her jargon about ‘happifying existence’ jars upon one after the Scriptural phrase, ‘making glad the hearts of men’. 1945 L. Shelly Jive Talk Dict. 12/2 Happify, to make happy. 1955 Watchtower 15 Mar. 182/2 Keeping these happifying thoughts in mind, we are determined to maintain our integrity faithfully. [OED]

I am mortified.

I am mortified.

Definitely not happified!

Definitely not happified!

Such consensus greatly cheerifies me.

<M. B. Eddy Science & Health vi. 315 To happify existence by constant intercourse with those adapted to elevate it is the true motive for
marriage.>

I say, Mary Baker Eddy, steady on there!

>>M. B. Eddy Science & Health vi. 315 To happify existence by constant intercourse with those adapted to elevate it is the true motive for marriage.

Now I know why the Christian Scientists are such a happified lot. The things you learn on these boards!

Happyfy was used by William B. Ide in 1846 in his proclamation of independence for the California Reuplic.

Here's the sentence: And that I grew up in Sonoma and was ignorant of this lovely word all these years. Sigh.

Amazing how we can live all our lives in an area and only find
out later on that something happened or exists we never knew
about. A real awakening. Has happened to me as well.

It's EDDYfying (especially given her definition!) to know one can go about happifying life. Would never have picked it as a legitimate word -won't be adopting it- but interesting to know it's there!