www.alphadictionary.com

A new word borrowed from Danish which I learned from dictionary.com. It appeals to me because it has a similar meaning to the Dutch word gezellig, a meaning that cannot (until now) be expressed in English. Searching online I found lifestyle books about. I told my (Dutch ancestry) wife about this new word and she recognized it from lifestyle shows on TV.

hygge
[hoog-uh]
noun
1. the feeling of coziness and contentment evoked by simple comforts, as being wrapped in a blanket, having conversations with friends or family, enjoying food, etc.: The holidays are a time of hygge for me and my family.
adjective
2. cozy and comforting: This room is very hygge with its soft cushions and warm fireplace.

My sentence: I am really looking forward to the dean’s party; her husband is such a devotee of hygge that the whole event promises to be cozy, warm, and inviting.

I don't know this word and it only occurs in the Urban Dictionary, a very unreliable and disrespectful dictionary of slang. I don't think its wriggled its way into the English vocabulary just yet. Maybe in a year or two I'll change my mind.

Dr. Goodword, Hygge has appeared in The New Yorker several times. First appearance was in 1957 (!) in a "Letter from Copenhagen"
In 2016, The New Yorker reports that "hygge" was a runner-up for Oxford English Dictionies' Word of the Year.
In 2017, it appeared three times, one included a pronunciation guide and one entitled "Is This Hygge?" (Feb 13 & 20 double issue).
In 2018, it appeared twice, most recently Dec 19 ("Twelve Feel-Good Classics With and Without Christmas"), this time in italics.
It also appeared several times in the New York Times in 2016 and 2017.
Finally, here's a link to an article with hypothetical etymologies from the Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygge
I believe these sources are a bit more respectable than the Urban Dictionary.

Hygge seems to be a Danish word. I see no reason to believe it is English, since none of the 1065 dictionaries covered by Onelook contains it. I only found it in Wikipedia, which claims it is a Danish word.

I grant that hygge was originally a Danish word but many English words have been adopted or stolen from foreign languages e.g. yacht, oboe, algebra, and typhoon. Often, this occurs when there is a gap in the English language that needs filling such as ketchup, koala, toboggan, and kayak. Just before Valentine's Day, I found at Chapters/Indigo two English language books and a colouring book on the subject. Whether or not 'hygge' is an English word yet is open for debate. I think it is. But if not, I think it serves a useful purpose and is making the transition.

Let me wish you all a hygge holidays and a sanguine New Year.

An interesting article on happiness and satisfaction:

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/202 ... hygge.html