halcyon

1 of 2

adjective

hal·​cy·​on ˈhal-sē-ən How to pronounce halcyon (audio)
1
a
: characterized by happiness, great success, and prosperity : golden
often used to describe an idyllic time in the past that is remembered as better than today
the halcyon days of youth
Classics Illustrated have become pricey nostalgia items for those who grew up in the supposedly halcyon years after World War II.Donna Richardson
In those halcyon days of the free trade, the fixed price for carrying a box of tea or bale of tobacco from the coast of Galloway to Edinburgh was fifteen shillings …Sir Walter Scott
b
: calm, peaceful
a halcyon atmosphere
2
: of or relating to the halcyon (see halcyon entry 2) or its nesting period

halcyon

2 of 2

noun

1
: a bird identified with the kingfisher and held in ancient legend to nest at sea about the time of the winter solstice and to calm the waves during incubation
2

Did you know?

Halcyon has drifted along contentedly in English for centuries, but it hatched from a tumultuous story. According to Greek mythology, Alkyone, the daughter of the god of the winds, became so distraught over her husband Ceyx’s death at sea that she threw herself into the ocean to join him. The gods were moved by the couple’s love, and took pity on them by turning them into halcyon birds, a bird identified with the kingfisher. (Kingfishers are known for plunging into water after prey.) According to the legend, the birds built their nests on the sea, which so charmed Alkyone’s father that he created a period of unusual calm that lasted until the birds' eggs hatched. Our word halcyon reflects the story in multiple ways. When halcyon was first used in English in the 14th century it was as a noun referring to the mythical bird, and later to actual kingfishers as well. Adjective use developed in the 16th century and now most often evokes those calm waters—the word typically describes an idyllic time in the past.

Examples of halcyon in a Sentence

Adjective a halcyon era following the American Civil War during those early halcyon years the company's potential for growth seemed unlimited
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Those were halcyon days for The Times, whose revenue in 1991 topped $3.7 billion. Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 An infusion of new energy and revived values of its halcyon days could see The Body Shop reclaim its position as a leader in ethical beauty. Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024 Ridd and his team aim to return to the festival’s halcyon days in a month where the city is abuzz with creative festivals. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 Jan. 2024 But those were in the halcyon days before Capitol Hill was only partly, not entirely, dysfunctional. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2024 So even if the OpenAI board still technically called the shots, the halcyon days of being unaccountable ended. Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2023 On the title track to his new EP, Morgan sings from a wistful, bittersweet position, recognizing that an ample amount of whiskey has unlocked his willingness to work through the more halcyon moments shared with an ex-lover. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2023 Judging by the lineup, the event seems intended to honor hip-hop’s present and history: Common and Jeezy came up in the 1990s and the ‘00s, respectively, while female rappers MC Lyte and Roxanne Shante are both from the genre’s halcyon days of the early 1980s. Jem Aswad, Variety, 8 Sep. 2023 But even in those halcyon days, Congress was a frustrating, exhausting place, especially for someone like Hurd. Grace Segers, The New Republic, 11 Aug. 2023
Noun
The goal isn’t some halcyon, all-forgiving unity between MAGA World and everyone else; too much damage has been done for that. Whitney Phillips, Wired, 24 Nov. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'halcyon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Middle English alceon, from Latin halcyon, from Greek alkyōn, halkyōn

First Known Use

Adjective

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of halcyon was in the 14th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near halcyon

Cite this Entry

“Halcyon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/halcyon. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

halcyon

1 of 2 noun
hal·​cy·​on ˈhal-sē-ən How to pronounce halcyon (audio)
1
: a bird identified with the kingfisher and believed in ancient legend to nest at sea in December and calm the waves
2

halcyon

2 of 2 adjective
: calm entry 3 sense 2, peaceful
halcyon days
the halcyon years of his childhood
Etymology

Noun

Middle English alceon "kingfisher," from Latin halcyon (same meaning), from Greek halkyōn "legendary bird that builds a nest at sea"

Word Origin
According to ancient legend, fourteen days of good weather occurred every year around December 22. This time of clear skies and calm seas was thought to be the result of a magical bird's concern for her nest. The legend explained that the female kingfisher built a floating nest on the sea during this period. She calmed the waves and winds to keep her nest safe. The Greek name for the kingfisher was halkyōn. English borrowed the Latin spelling of the bird's name, and today we call any quiet, peaceful period halcyon days.
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!