Kate Bornstein
Did you know?
The day in heyday originally had nothing to do with the kind of day that's made up of 24 hours. Heyday was first used in the first half of the 16th century as an extended form of the interjection hey, used since the 13th century to express elation or wonder, as it still often is in phrases like "hey, look at that!" The day part was most likely just an extra syllable tagged on for effect. By the end of the 16th century heyday had developed noun use with the meaning "high spirits," as when Shakespeare's Hamlet tells his mother, "You cannot call it love; for at your age / The heyday in the blood is tame …” It wasn't until the 18th century that the day syllable's resemblance to the word day likely influenced the development of the now-familiar use referring to the period when one's achievement or popularity has reached its zenith.
Examples of heyday in a Sentence
Ron Faiola, Midwest Living, 15 Jan. 2026
But to Bardot—who would retire at 39 and later become known for animal rights activism and anti-Muslim bigotry—her heyday felt like anything but freedom.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 14 Jan. 2026
Newmar was a prolific presence on screen and stage during her heyday of the 1950s into the 1960s.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Jan. 2026
Meet the expert To be sure, longer pixie cuts have been a classic style since Twiggy's heyday and the mod era of the '60s.
—Audrey Noble, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heyday
Cite this Entry
“Heyday.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heyday. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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