Word of the Day, November 9: ‘Hap’

Word of the Day: HAP
Pronunciation: UK /hæp/
US /hæp/

Meaning
Hap is a noun that means luck, chance, fortune or an unexpected occurrence. It can refer to something fortunate or unfortunate, depending on the context.

It can also be used as a verb, meaning to happen or occur by chance, although this usage is now considered archaic.

Examples in everyday sentences

• By some fortunate hap, we arrived just before the rain started.
• The little haps and mishaps of everyday life often make the best stories.
• Whatever may hap, she was determined to finish what she had started.

Origin and history

Hap comes from the Old Norse word happ, meaning luck or good fortune. It entered English through Middle English around the 12th century and was used to describe chance, fate or something that happened unexpectedly.

The word's influence can still be seen in several familiar English expressions. Happen originally meant to come about by chance, while hapless describes someone unfortunate or unlucky. Haphazard combines hap with hazard and refers to something done without a clear plan or order.

The related word happy also developed from hap, reflecting the older association between good fortune and happiness.

Also Read: Word of the Day, November 8: ‘Glib’ 

Cultural significance and modern usage

Although hap is now considered archaic or literary, it appears in older poetry and writing, particularly when authors explore fate, luck and the unpredictable nature of life.

The word is also used in expressions such as good hap and ill hap, referring to good and bad fortune respectively. Its modern-day relevance is largely through words such as happen, happy, hapless and haphazard.

As a standalone word, hap is more likely to appear in poetry, historical writing or a deliberately old-fashioned style of expression than in everyday conversation.

Interesting facts

The word hap is the root of several familiar English words, including happy, happen, hapless and haphazard.

The verb hap can mean to happen or come to pass, but this usage is now rare.

In older Scottish and regional English, hap could also mean to cover someone or something warmly, or a covering such as a quilt.

Examples from literature

• “At last she chaunced by good hap to meet
  A goodly knight, faire marching by the way.”— The  Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser
• “Jaquenetta, by good hap.”— Love's Labour's Lost by William Shakespeare
• “And happed so, that, as he was in his bed…”— The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

Synonyms

• Chance
• Luck
• Fortune
• Fate
• Destiny

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