happy hour

American  

noun

happy hours plural

1. a cocktail hour or longer period at a bar, during which drinks are served at reduced prices or with free snacks.

   happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m.

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happy hour British  

noun

1. a time, usually in the early evening, when some pubs or bars sell drinks at reduced prices

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happy hour Idioms  

1. A period in the late afternoon or early evening when a bar or lounge features drinks at reduced prices. For example, The hotel bar has a happy hour from five to seven every day. [1960s]

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• happy hours
  plural

Etymology

Origin of happy hour

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

I sidled up to the bar with happy hour in full swing, feeling a little nauseated from the heat and mileage.

From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026

Weeks later, McArthur and Gabbert exchanged words at happy hour.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

It’s great for dinner parties or a casual happy hour snack and will have everyone thinking you paid for catering.

From Salon • May 22, 2026

I screamed through a three-minute roller-coaster ride, saw the Sphere and Strip from 550 feet at golden hour and had an exclusive 66th-floor lounge to myself for happy hour and breakfast.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

Arm hoped the roach family would postpone their happy hour until later.

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer