- 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
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 of halcyon
Middle English alcioun ; from Classical Latin alcyon ; from Classical Greek alkyōn, kingfisher, altered by folk etymology after Classical Greek hals, seaadjective
- of the halcyon
- tranquil, happy, idyllic, etc.: esp. in phr. , usually with nostalgic reference to earlier times
halcyon
adjective
- Calm and peaceful; tranquil.
- Prosperous; golden: halcyon years.
noun
- 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.
- A kingfisher, especially one of the genus Halcyon.
Origin of halcyon
Middle English alcioun, mythical halcyon bird, from Latin alcyōn, halcyōn, from Greek halkuōn, alteration (influenced by hals, salt, sea, and kuōn, conceiving) of alkuōn, probably from a pre-Greek Mediterranean language .halcyon
Noun
(plural halcyons)
- In classical legends, a bird said to nest on the sea, thereby calming the waters; later usually identified with a type of kingfisher, hence (poetic) a kingfisher.
- A tropical kingfisher of the genus Halcyon, such as the sacred kingfisher Halcyon sancta of Australia.
Adjective
(comparative more halcyon, superlative most halcyon)
- Pertaining to the halcyon or kingfisher
- Calm, undisturbed, peaceful, serene.
Origin
From Latin halcyon (“kingfisher”), alcyon, from Ancient Greek ἀλκυών (alkuōn).
