Etymology

ME happen (see hapnest (adj.)) + negative prefix; cp. OIcel óheppinn 'unlucky'.

PGmc Ancestor

*xap(p)-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

heppinn ‘lucky’; cp. óheppinn 'unlucky'
(ONP heppinn (adj.); cp. óheppinn (adj.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Far heppin, Icel heppinn, Norw heppen, Sw dial vanhäppen

OE Cognate

cp. gehæp and gehæplic (adj.) ‘fit, convenient, opportune'

Phonological and morphological markers

Summary category

CC1c

(CC3)

Attestation

Rare in ME: MED and OED only cite instances from Cl and Erk, and 16c. Sc.; cp. also the MnE N dial. heppen (OED, EDD).

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Cl 573; Erk 198

Bibliography

MED unhappen (adj.) , OED unhappen (adj.) , OED unheppen (adj.) , HTOED , EDD unheppen (adj.); see further hapnest (adj.).