Hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”) is a word in Danish and Norwegian that describes a cozy, contented mood evoked by comfort and conviviality (Wikipedia). Its adjective form is hyggelig. In 2016 it crossed into English as a lifestyle trend.
Origin
- Old Norse and Norwegian roots. Wikipedia traces the word to the Old Norse hyggja, meaning “to think”. VisitDenmark says hygge did not originate in Danish but in old Norwegian, “where it meant something like ‘well-being.’”
- Entry into Danish. The sources disagree on the date. VisitDenmark says it first appeared in Danish writing around the end of the 18th century; Wikipedia says the 19th century.
- 2016, the English-language boom. Several books on hygge were marketed in the UK, among them Meik Wiking’s The Little Book of Hygge, Marie Tourell Søderberg’s Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness and Louisa Thomsen Brits’s The Book of Hygge (Wikipedia). Wiking is the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, and Penguin lists his book as published in 2016 (Penguin).
- November 2016, Collins shortlist. Collins English Dictionary named Brexit its 2016 word of the year, beating shortlisted words including “Trumpism”, “uberization” and “hygge”, which it defined as “a concept, originating in Denmark, of creating cosy and convivial atmospheres that promote wellbeing” (Al Jazeera).
How It’s Used
VisitDenmark says hygge translates roughly to “cosiness” but means more than that. Its examples are candlelight, cosying up with a loved one for a movie, and sitting around with friends and family “discussing the big and small things in life”. It also says hygge “happens all year round”, not only in winter, and lists picnics in the park, barbecues with friends, outdoor concerts, street festivals and bike rides.
As a hashtag, #hygge tags the English-language version of the idea: candles, warm drinks, blankets and gatherings at home. Wikipedia notes that IKEA has used hygge as a concept in marketing its products, and that in Norway the word is “just a word, similar in status to ‘cozy.’”
Hygge vs. Koselig vs. Mys vs. Gezellig vs. Lagom
Several Northern European words get grouped with hygge in English. They overlap, but they are not the same idea.
| Word | Language | What it describes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hygge | Danish, Norwegian | A cozy, contented mood evoked by comfort and conviviality | Wikipedia |
| Koselig | Norwegian | A feeling of warmth and intimacy | Wikipedia |
| Mysig / mys | Swedish | A pleasant and warm atmosphere | Wikipedia |
| Gezellig / gezelligheid | Dutch | A sense of individual well-being and a positive atmosphere shared with others | Wikipedia |
| Lagom | Swedish | ”Just the right amount”, or “not too much, not too little” | Wikipedia |
Lagom is the odd one out: it is about moderation, not coziness. See also #Gezellig and #Lagom.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygge
- https://www.visitdenmark.com/denmark/things-do/danish-culture/what-hygge
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/11/4/brexit-named-word-of-the-year-by-collins-dictionary
- https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/298804/the-little-book-of-hygge-by-wiking-meik/9780241980217
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gezelligheid
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagom