: a cozy quality that makes a person feel content and comfortable
During the long, dark winters when Danes retreat inside their homes, hygge is what brings them a great sense of comfort and joy. Mary Holland
"I believe now—in the midst of this pandemic—is the perfect time for people to embody hygge by focusing on the present moment, spending quality time with people who make them happy, and ultimately finding peace," [Christine] Christensen said in an email. Courtney Kueppers
And after the recent trend of cozy, comforting hygge, there's another Scandinavian state of mind to embrace. Leanne Italie
: invoking or fostering a sense of coziness, contentment, and well-being
… a hygge Christmas dinner setting needs only essential tableware, beloved family ornaments and a few tasteful sprigs of greenery. Francesca Brown
To live the hygge way, focus on friendship, wholesomeness, and happiness. Hannah Bruneman
"… people are at home all the time. People will realize cozy is better than stark. It's all about the hygge trend." Jonathan Adler
Word History
Etymology
Noun
borrowed from Danish, "comfort, coziness," borrowed from Norwegian hygge (Bokmål), hyggje (Nynorsk), probably noun derivative of hygge (Bokmål), hyggje (Nynorsk) "to make comfortable," also regionally "to notice, understand, take care of, be fond of," going back to an Old Norwegian equivalent of Old Icelandic hyggja "to think, believe," going back to Germanic *hugjan- (whence also Old English hycgan "to think, meditate, consider," Old Frisian hugia "to be recalled," Old Saxon huggian "to think [of], be mindful of, consider, plan," Old High German huggen "to think, have in mind, be mindful of," Gothic hugjan "to be of a [specified] state of mind"), noun derivative of *hugi- "mind" (whence Old English hyge "mind, thought, intention," Old Frisian hei "mind," Old Saxon hugi "thought, mind, intention," Old High German hugu "mind, understanding," Old Norse hugr "mind, heart, wish," Gothic hugs "mind"), of uncertain origin