Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
happy return

happy return

1 5.1
A wish that someone will enjoy many happy birthdays
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : feliz cumpleaños
  • Wishing you many happy returns of the day, filled with laughter and love.
  • many happy returns
  • wish many happy returns

Examples

  • Many happy returns of the day, Marjorie.

    Happy Campers (2001)

  • And, we say, "Many happy returns of the day."

    My Old Lady (2014)

  • Many happy returns of the day to Miss Summer Rose!

    Blog text (24)

  • I hope you have many happy returns this year on your birthday.

  • On your special day, I wish you many happy returns and joy.

Synonyms

to have a good one
vshappy return
  • Informal
15 6.3

Wish someone a nice day or a good time as a friendly goodbye

is used for birthdays or special occasions rather than casual parting phrases
many happy returns
vshappy return
  • UK
2 4.9

A wish that someone has many more happy days, often on their birthday

is the general greeting often said in that traditional birthday formula
congratulations
vshappy return
1.1

Words you say to show you are happy about someone's good news

is a simple goodwill wish for birthdays rather than praise for achievements

Surface Forms

happy return singular
happy returns plural

Morphology

happy + return

The components 'happy' (joyful) and 'return' (coming back) give a loose, partially compositional sense, but the conventional greeting meaning ('may this day recur happily' / 'many happy returns') is a fixed formula and not the straightforward literal combination. A B1 learner who knows the words might guess something about a joyful coming back but would likely not infer the conventional felicitous greeting use without prior exposure.

Etymology

Happy return comes from the older wish 'many happy returns of the day'. The simple image is a happy day that returns each year, so the phrase means 'wishing someone well', especially on a birthday.