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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
PC Magazine, 20 June 2025
The ’70s and ’80s was the heyday of designer fragrances, but Lauder seemed to sit out the licensing game.
—Pete Born, Footwear News, 15 June 2025
Back in the heyday of The Washington Post’s Style section, Quinn shocked and amused readers with her cheeky coverage of political scandals and newsmakers.
—Air Mail, 14 June 2025
Compared to the school’s heyday, a much smaller number of school-age children live in Bronzeville today.
—Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 13 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Heyday.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heyday. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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