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In its earliest appearances in English, in the 16th century, heyday was used as an interjection that expressed elation or wonder (similar to our word hey, from which it derives). Within a few decades, heyday was seeing use as a noun meaning "high spirits." This sense can be seen in Act III, scene 4 of Hamlet, when the Prince of Denmark tells his mother, "You cannot call it love; for at your age / The heyday in the blood is tame…." The word's second syllable is not thought to be borne of the modern word day (or any of its ancestors), but in the 18th century the syllable's resemblance to that word 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
Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
Just outside of the park, on BLM land, are the ruins of the town of Rhyolite, which was home to 10,000 people in its heyday in the early 1900s.
—Graham Averill, Outside, 28 Oct. 2025
That instinct guided Madar away from celebrity fragrances in their heyday.
—James Manso, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
This year’s World Series pits Los Angeles against the Toronto Blue Jays, with the Dodgers looking to become the first team to win back-to-back championships since the New York Yankees heyday in 1998-2000.
—Tim Chan, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Heyday.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heyday. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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