- Halcyon describes an idealized, idyllic or peaceful time.
An example of something you would describe as halcyon is the long, lazy and peaceful days of summer vacation.
- The definition of a halcyon is a bird, which legends say, has the power to calm the winter sea.
A halcyon is a kingfisher from Southern Asia and Australia.
halcyon definition by Webster's New World
noun
- a legendary bird, identified with the kingfisher, which is supposed to have a peaceful, calming influence on the sea at the time of the winter solstice
- Zool. any of a genus (Halcyon) of kingfishers of S Asia and Australia
Origin: Middle English alcioun ; from Classical Latin alcyon ; from Classical Greek alkyōn, kingfisher, altered by folk etymology after Classical Greek hals, sea
adjective
- of the halcyon
- tranquil, happy, idyllic, etc.: esp. in phr. , usually with nostalgic reference to earlier times
halcyon definition by American Heritage Dictionary
noun
- A kingfisher, especially one of the genus Halcyon.
- A fabled bird, identified with the kingfisher, that was supposed to have had the power to calm the wind and the waves while it nested on the sea during the winter solstice.
- Calm and peaceful; tranquil.
- Prosperous; golden: halcyon years.
Origin: Middle English alcioun, from Latin alcyōn, halcyōn, from Greek halkuōn, a mythical bird, kingfisher, alteration (influenced by hals, salt, sea, and kuōn, conceiving) of alkuōn.
