to wish (for); to hope (for); to wish someone well, particularly in a complimentary or polite way; to desire someone's presence
“Sinsemilia, Tout le bonheur du monde On vous souhaite tout le bonheur du monde Pour aujourd'hui comme pour demain Que votre soleil éclaircisse l'ombre Qu'il brille d'amour au quotidien We wish you all the happiness in the world For today as for tomorrow May your sun light up the shadows” — May it shine love everyday
Inherited from Middle French souhaiter, itself (with /t/ through influence of the noun souhait) from Old French sohaidier, from Gallo-Roman Vulgar Latin *subhaitare (“to vow with little commitment”, literally “under-promise”), a hybrid of Latin subtus (“under”) + Frankish *haitan (“to order, promise”). Cognate with Picard souhédhier. For Germanic cognates see Proto-Germanic *haitaną.